Tales of Symphonia: A New World
by skywolf666
Summary: It's been two years since the fall of Mithos Yggdrasil, and the rejoining of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. The Heroes of Regeneration toiled to bring about a new age, but old enemies are not content to rest. A new terror is lurking in the shadows. LS/RR/ZC/GP
1. Aftermath of Defeat

**AN: **Enjoy? XD I kinda began this on a whim when I was discussing with a friend what I thought the sequel to Tales should have been... Then I got this idea and so I began writing out some scenes... Before I knew it, I had an entire story mapped out in my head and it sure as hell wasn't going to leave me alone. So, here we go. XD I own nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch, nix, you get the point. Don't sue me, I have no money to feed myself let alone pay legal fees. :3

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The angel looked up absently at the empty throne in front of her, her pale lips pressed into a thin line as the remnants of the red gem floated an inch from the plush red cushion. Behind her, she was well aware of some of her comrades moving unconsciously, but she paid them no heed, focussing her eyes on the pieces of the crystal and nothing else. As if on silent command, she got to one knee, her head bowed in a sign of respect to the empty chair. The small crowd behind her knelt as one, murmuring a name that was lost in their indistinct and robotic voices and carried into the emptiness of space and time.

A new voice spoke, though it had no real voice to it as the words floated from the red shards, carried directly into the heads of the crowd through unknown means. There was no tone or emotion, there was just words spoken out loud and carried by pure mana or perhaps by something even darker and more twisted than they could understand.

_Lloyd... Irving..._

The angel felt her lips twitch in what could have been a smile and carelessly she raised her head to stare at the floating remains of the Cruxis Crystal. Though most of the mana had departed the object only short days ago, there was something clinging to the glassy shards, something that she knew not how to explain. "Yes, my lord?"

_Lloyd Irving... My body... Exspheres..._

Her lips did curve and the angel slowly got to her feet as a figure from the crowd approached her from behind to take its place at her left shoulder. Ignoring the figure, she stared at the small and flickering spark of mana that still possessed the shattered remains of the crystal. "How many Exspheres do you require?"

_Ten... Thousand..._

"Lloyd Irving is on a journey collecting Exspheres from the now reunited world. It would be easy to steal them from him while he does it. The Toize Mine has been destroyed and dismantled thanks to Bryant. We can't collect any from there." The man at her left shoulder spoke carelessly in his calm and husky voice, and she could hear his bandaged hand stroking the hilt of his blade in an almost tender caress. "Using ranches is out of the question too, the traitors made sure to destroy each and every one the moment they touched back to the ground. Irving is the only way to collect that many Exspheres."

"No, we leave Irving to finish what he started. We can collect the Exspheres after he's rounded them up, it would be far more easy to sit back and wait for him to do our job for us." The angel replied in a careless but cold voice, raising one hand to silence the protests she knew her comrade would make to her order. Her eyes still focussed on the shining shards, she continued in what could have been a bored voice, "Of course, only if that is alright with you, my lord."

_Wait... Prepare..._

"Yes... Of course, Lord Yggdrasil." The angel answered flatly, her eyes closed for a long moment, prepared to receive more instruction. When no further words accompanied her last order, she stood with a weary sigh, turning her back on the old throne and fixing her stone gaze of the group behind her. Resolutely ignoring the man at her left, she snapped out several quick orders. "You are to disperse to the wind, leave no area untouched by your presence. Avoid the remains of the ranches, but let no village be without you or another soldier. You are to lay in wait until myself, Auin, or another of our rank sends word to you. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" The words were not spoken, but yelled by one throat of all of them, and without another word, the soldiers turned and disappeared through the large doorway.

The female waited patiently until she was sure they were gone, then turned to look at the taller angel at her side, a hint of something malicious tugging at her thin lips. Her hand resting lazily to caress the pommel of her blade, she asked casually, "Do you disagree with my orders?"

"I don't get what is with you wanting to be patient. Why don't we just go and kill them all?" He answered scathingly, saving a glare for the throne he, too, had bowed before. Huffing when she didn't answer, his upper lip curled into a savage sneer and he continued in a low hiss, "It'd be so easy, none of those fools are expecting it... We could have them all dead by the end of the night. The Eternal Sword may have our motherland into space, but we are still here, our numbers–"

"Oh shut up. You obviously don't understand the fine art of revenge, and you obviously have no idea why our lord wishes to wait." She cut him off with a laughing snap, ignoring the angry hiss he produced when she played her rank on him. Jerking her head towards the throne where their master lay in wait, she spoke in a condescending manner, "So we kill the Eternal Swordsman and his summoner partner, we destroy the two traitorous half-elves, the lumberjack child and the Lezareno president, then we dispose of the Chosens. What pleasure does that leave for our lord if we do all of the dirty work for him? This is fairly personal, wouldn't you say? We draw it out, we let them dance around like the puppets they are, then we destroy their hope and leave them to bleed at our feet. That is revenge, that is the pleasure our lord seeks. There's still so much time left before we can go around on our own accord."

"It's so stupid, this meaninglessly drawn out plan... When it could be done so easily overnight... We still reel from Kratos' betrayal, and he's taken almost half of our force with him on Derris Kharlan..." He let it go however when the angel at his side turned to glare at him. Raising his chin as he resisted the urge to bare his teeth, he changed tacts quickly, "I see what you mean about wanting to make them squirm... It will be fun to watch their faces."

She rolled her eyes, not caring that he was still watching her. There was an obvious disgust in her expression and she took no steps to disguise the contempt she felt for her ally. Instead, she turned to stare at the empty throne, watching the remains of the Cruxis Crystal. "As always, you disgust me... We still have much work to do before we reveal that the Desians are still alive and well. If we let the traitors see our cards before we're prepared to play them, all of our effort will be to waste."

"I'll never understand you chess-players." The man replied with a shake of his head, though there was no real disgust in his face, merely a rueful amusement. He turned his body towards the throne, unable to disguise the hunger on his scarred face. A dangerous smile lifted his lips, and he murmured aloud, "Soon enough... He'll need a new vessel. The Exspheres won't give him a tangible form."

"Your arrogance is astounding." The angel's voice was cold and mocking, though the hint of amused malice couldn't be disguised. She turned completely to face him, not bothering to hide her contempt for his words as she struck them down with a wave of her gloved hand. "Why do you think he wants Irving? He'd never even consider using your body. To complete his 'perfect revenge', he will use Lloyd's body to strike down the ones closest to him. Using your body would be completely useless. Besides, what makes you think he wants to inhabit the form of another half-elf like he once was?"

"Are you saying that stupid swordsman is better than _me_!?"

"I'm saying that Lord Yggdrasil would prefer to inhabit the body of the former Chosen of Sylvarant before deciding on yours." She replied coldly, ignoring her ally's growing fury at her words. She turned her eyes towards the throne, focussing on the shards of the once battered Cruxis Crystal that a half-elf had saved and then helped to destroy. The irony was not lost on her, nor did it give her any cruel amusement. Instead, she simply explained as though she was speaking to a very young child, "Lord Yggdrasil despises the blood that runs in his body, and in our bodies. He would never, if given the choice, willingly inhabit a body like his or ours. He will take Lloyd Irving's body and exact his revenge. He'd sooner commit suicide before placing himself in a vessel like yours, or even mine."

"We'll see Tasogare. We'll see. It's only been two weeks since that little team left Derris Kharlan and rejoined the worlds. Give them the time they need to collect the Exspheres and even Lord Yggdrasil's patience will fail. He'll want a body, and I'll give him my own." His voice was just as condescending as her own, tossing out her given name with a mere wave of his hand. He saw how she flinched underneath the gesture, and his lips pulled up sadistically at the sight of her pain. "Like you said... There's still plenty of time left."

"I can't believe I've been putting up with you and your unhealthy obsession for nearly a whole ten centuries. You truly sicken me." She snapped with a wave of her hand, giving her back to the angel with a snort of disgust. She heard him unsheathing his blade, a threatening gesture for giving him her back, yet she simply murmured aloud, "A philanderer of a Chosen, a martyr of an angel, a child lumberjack robbed of her youth, the felon president of a world-renowned company, a half-elven mage and his healer sister, a young and tormented summoner and then the son of one of our own Seraphim... Eight lives, eight toy pieces we move on our chessboard as we play out our own game. Surprising how only eight or nine creatures can tip the balance of a world, don't you think?"

"They tipped the scales, but we'll get them back in blood, won't we now?"

"Time will tell... For now, we wait."

**AN**

**And so, we begin A New World with a completely random and rather full of nothing prologue that probably doesn't make sense. FYI though, lol, it's not supposed to. It's only supposed to give an odd mystique to everything and name two characters. So new faces, new problems, and yes, I went there by wtfpwning KoR out of my canon universe with this story. XD In my own defence, I have not played the ToS sequel, heard both good and bad things about it, but I refuse to make any fiction work on something I have yet to play and judge with my own eyes. Just a code of mine to keep me, and my work, honest. **

**Now, this story should be updated weekly, and that's a hopeful outlook of mine, to have a chapter up per week. Hold me to that, because I need to get my writing ass in shape, and I'm going to do it even if it kills me. So please don't let me miss a week of updating, I want anyone who wants to read this to kick me when I fail to deliver. It's important to me, lol. (And what do you know, I started that on a Sunday night, XD) So by next Monday, the first chapter should be up, and so on and so forth, lol, don't make me continue my sentences.**

**Anyway, so thanks for all of those who read Jealousy, told me you were looking forward to this, and etc. I hope to have you around for A New World, and I hope to hear from all of you down the road! Now, future warning... I'd like to advise all readers to don the safety helmets seen to your left, to buckle up your seatbelts and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, as I have a habit of screwing with my reader's heads. For your own safety (and sanity) of course. Welcome aboard and don't forget to press the button below!**

**Pronounciation Note: Auin; pronounced like Owen. Tasogare; Tah-so-gar-A. (That would be the pronounciation I know of at this given moment, if anyone can correct me, please give me a holler so I can change it asap. -.-'')**

**Sky**


	2. A New Time, Two Years Later

**Two Years Later**

**Altamira**

A loud knocking woke her, and with a muffled groan, Raine lifted her head to glance blearily at the door where the noise originated. Pushing herself up with her free hand, she took a deep breath of the salty sea air, listening to the cries of the gulls and the sound of the waves pounding gently onto the coast. 'Mm...'

The knocking came again, louder and more insistent this time, and with another groan, she managed to pull herself from bed, straightening her nightgown absently before she found the robe that hung off a nearby chair. Pulling the silk against her skin, she allowed herself a shiver of pleasure before she crossed the carpeted floor to the door, opening it a crack to see her visitor.

The maid looked properly abashed and bowed her head in customary nervousness, her small hands clenching around the envelope she was carrying. The young woman, keeping her eyes on the floor, murmured softly, "My apologies for waking you milady, but a letter arrived a few minutes ago from your younger brother and you left specific instructions to inform you the moment we received it."

"Oh, thank you." Raine retrieved the envelope with a small smile, using her free hand to brush at her messy hair. Raising her eyes from Genis' neat scrawl, she met the abashed eyes of the maid and thanked her pleasantly, "I'm glad you woke me, I've been waiting for this. You have my gratitude." The young woman murmured something incoherent and fled down the hall before Raine had a chance to say anything more, and with a soft laugh she shook her head and shut the door.

Handling the letter carefully, she crossed the room and ventured to the balcony, listening contentedly to the crashing waves. The morning sun touched her pale skin like a caress, the sounds of the beach nearby giving her an odd sense of calm. 'Odd how a year of living here can change one's feelings about the water...' Glancing down at the letter, she brushed a fingertip against the ink of her name before opening the envelope and pulling the thick parchment from the container. "Genis..."

His writing was as neat and small as ever, giving the professor an odd sense of pride as she leaned against the railing to read. She could picture her little brother sitting underneath his favoured tree as he wrote the letter, listening to the sounds of the wildlife in Ozette as he watched Presea with a fond eye and a slight blush, as he always had.

_Raine,_

_Sorry it took me so long to get back, things are really busy here in Ozette. I'm doing okay though, and you sounded great in your last few letters too. Presea sends her regards too, she's too busy to send a letter of her own and she's sorry for that, but she's doing good. We just finally got around to rebuilding Presea's house, after we finished the rest of the village I managed to convince Presea that we don't need to keep sleeping in a tent. We're all pretty busy with the restoration and rebuilding. Regal's helped a lot with the rebuilding of the village, and a lot of people have already come back, but there's still some work we have to do before its finally done. Can you give him our thanks? We really appreciate everything Lezareno's done for us. Even some people from Mizuho came over to give us some help! It was a really nice thing for Sheena to do, even though she's halfway around the world with Lloyd. She really is being a good chief._

_That reminds me, have you heard anything from Sheena or Lloyd lately? Last time I saw them was a few months ago when they stopped by to get some items before they headed back off towards the Temple of Lightning. They didn't stay long, but they both looked pretty pleased with themselves. I guess the journey's going good if they're too busy to stop often. No one's really heard from them in awhile, they must be pretty busy if they've stopped corresponding, huh? They did warn us it could be awhile in between visits... Last I heard from Yuan was that they're almost finished though, they've collected nearly twenty thousand Exspheres! It's scary to think how many human lives that is... But when I think about it, they've _saved_ that many people from being used as tools for another war, or for human usage like the bridge._

_It's weird how we're all apart, I kinda miss hearing Lloyd's lousy jokes and I'm almost missing Zelos' stupid flirting. Ozette is nice and peaceful, and I like it here, but I almost miss the adventure of travelling around Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. Two years have passed since we finally rejoined the world, and even though it's a been rough process, we all managed somehow. If it wasn't for Colette and Zelos' influence, there might have been an all out war between the Sylvaranti and Tethe'allans... I'm just glad we managed to get a good enough peace so we could start working together, like we're supposed to. It goes a hell of a lot more smoothly when people shut up and work together instead of focussing on the tiny things like race. Right now we're all just trying to rebuild a home, and that can really bring people together in a strange way... It's almost like Luin all over again... I hope the results are that good, that'd be a miracle..._

_Oh yeah, I heard from Colette yesterday, she's been in Palmacosta, finishing up the last few repairs to the academy. They wanted her to ask you if you wanted a teaching position there for archeology. I told Colette to tell them not to get their hopes up, you seemed pretty happy staying in Altamira last time I heard from you. It's still kinda hard to believe you're there now, I still have to be reminded by Presea that you and Regal are married and you're now "Mistress Bryant". I keep wanting to put my letters to Raine Sage. It's weird... Would the letters even get to you if I accidentally put it down wrong? Hehe, I kinda want to do it to test the theory now. Don't worry, I'll behave big sis, I won't do anything to embarrass you..._

_How is Regal by the way? I've heard some pretty good stuff about how well Lezareno's been doing with all of their rebuilding projects. It's good that they've been funding so much of the repairs around the world, it's calmed down a lot of the tension between the races too... The elves in Heimdall couldn't really believe that a human company wanted to help, remember? It took a lot of persuading but we managed... Just like we always have, huh Raine? I'm really happy things have gone so smoothly. I'm happy for you too, you and Regal are happier than I've ever seen either of you, so I can't get annoyed or anything... I'm just glad everyone's found something or someone to anchor themselves down. For you it was Regal, for Zelos it was Colette, even Lloyd's gotten over his idiocy and realized that Sheena's been in love with him forever. It's almost like we all split off into pairs once the journey was over, it's kinda embarrassing in itself when I think about it._

_On a more serious note... I'm not sure how to say this, and I don't want to sound paranoid, but something's been bugging me lately. I don't know what it is exactly, the world hasn't exactly been normal since we put it back together. But that's not what's bothering me. I've been sensing something strange with the mana level. Some days it's spiked really high, it becomes so much thicker than it normally is, and then it drops down until it almost feels like I'm back in the declining world. I haven't said anything to Presea or anyone else, no one seems to notice it but me, I wondered if you could feel it too. I don't want to say this, but... I think there's something bad coming. I don't know why but it's this feeling I get, of foreboding when the mana gets high... Like there's something bad stirring out there, getting ready for who knows what, and I get real uneasy. It's weird and I know I sound crazy but it's the exact same feeling I got when we were in the Tower of Salvation a long time ago. Something's coming Raine, something bad, and I don't like it one bit._

_I don't know if it's because we're half-elves that we can sense this, maybe we're just naturally attuned to mana. I'm going to Heimdall this week to talk to the elder, I need to make sure that I'm not hallucinating and if I'm not... I want to get to the bottom of this before something really horrible happens here. We've just started to heal from the devastation of our journey, I don't want to see another disaster strike us now, not when we're so optimistic about the future... I'll be in touch Raine, as soon as I get back from Heimdall I'll send another letter. I might make a stop by Altamira with Presea if I get important news. I'll talk to you soon, sis. _

_All my love,_

_Genis._

Raine could feel her hands trembling as she set the letter down onto the railing, trapping the parchment with one hand as she glanced out numbly at the waves of the beach. Despite the naturally warm weather, she felt suddenly cold, as though her bones had simply frozen inside of her body.

She had felt it too, the strange mana patterns of sinking and rising, the foreboding that set the hair on the back of her neck on edge whenever the mana seemed especially charged. At first she had brushed it off, the world was still adjusting to the reunification and with the new tree finally sprouting, it seemed natural that the flow of mana would be off kilter. There was something different about the charge of mana however, the thicker it grew the worse the unease was, as if her senses were screaming at her that something was wrong. Despite herself, her worry was only growing with each passing day.

'What is it that's changing...? What could possibly affect the mana level in this world now that they've been joined? The only thing would be the tree itself, or perhaps the Summon Spirits, but Sheena has formed pacts with them all, so... What could possibly be disrupting the flow like this...? It's like a calm before a storm... There's something dangerous about this, I don't like it at all..'

"This is a rare occurrence, not often are you awake before me." A warm voice whispered into her ear, coupled with the feeling of two strong arms winding themselves around her waist. She started in alarm before she was relaxing already, the strong arms of her companion around her as though they belonged there.

"Oh, you're awake." Raine laughed softly, her free hand dropping to rest on the muscled forearm that rested snugly on her stomach. Not turning her head because she already knew her captor, she instead leaned back to rest her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as he delivered a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "You're right, it is pretty rare that I'm up before you, but you are a heavy sleeper when you work late..."

"Hmph..." Regal grunted once in what could have been agreement or denial, but his hold didn't loosen and he gave himself a moment to glance out at the ocean. The morning sun was casting a brilliant glow of gold onto the reflective surface of the water, giving an almost majestic look to the beach of his resort. He saw the letter held lovingly in Raine's hand and asked politely, "Did Genis finally get back to you?"

"Yes he did, I just finished reading it. He sends his and Presea's regards and hopes you're well." Raine informed him with a small frown, glad that he couldn't see her face to see her lie. He had become remarkably adept at reading into her every word and expression during their journey, and despite every warning bell that told her to give him space, she had found herself increasingly attracted to the man. To her surprise, and guilt, he had returned the affection and it had seemed that a relationship had begun almost immediately. She had confessed it to him, shortly before the reunification, that she was unsure of proceeding considering his ties to both Lezareno and Alicia, and he had told her simply that she had asked him to move on and be happy. 'So he had...' "Ozette is nearly finished with the rebuilding, they only just began working on the house Presea once lived in. They saved it for last, wanting to finish the rest of the village first, so like them... They also give their thanks for all the help you've given them, it seems to have paid off. Even some villagers from Mizuho dropped by to give them some aid... It's coming along so smoothly. Much good news all around it seems."

"I see, that _is_ good news." Regal answered slowly, sensing the hesitancy in her posture as she leaned back against his chest. Deciding to give her as much time as she may need to settle whatever internal battle she was fighting, he instead rested his chin on her head and stared out at the ocean. Smiling slightly to himself when he felt her fingertips absently caressing his bare forearm, he asked quietly, "Shall we go back to bed, Raine?"

Raine felt her lips twitch into a dangerous smile, but she said nothing, though she felt his arms tightened ever so slightly around her middle. Sexual tension had been amazingly strong between them, another thing that had drawn them together, and despite the fact that they had been married for nearly a year, the spark hadn't seem to have dimmed even the slightest. "Maybe we should..."

Regal didn't hesitate, as soon as the words were out of her mouth he released her before slipping an arm under her knees and around her waist, lifting her up easily into his arms. She giggled girlishly, winding her own around his shoulders, face upturned for a kiss that he gladly gave as a chuckle rumbled in his chest. She made it so easy to forget the guilt and the pain he had struggled with for so long, that still twinged in his heart every now and then. He carried her from the balcony and back to the bed, letting himself once again drown in the warmth that she so eagerly gave him and that he was all too willing to return.

* * *

**The Following Week**

**Palmacosta**

"Zelos, you made it!"

Zelos barely had time to see where the happy voice had originated from before a pair of iron arms caught him around the waist. The force of the tackle sent him staggering backwards but that didn't faze him as he recognized the girlish laughter that accompanied the surprisingly strong embrace. "Hey there my cute little angel, it's nice to see you too!"

"Hehe, I didn't know if you meant you were coming today or in a few days, I'm sorry I'm not dressed better." Colette apologized sheepishly as she drew away from him, rubbing at the back of her neck with a gloved hand. A streak of cream coloured paint had found its place on her cheek, and across her white clothes though her blond hair had been saved by its being up in a ponytail. A hint of pink beginning to glow in her face, she continued awkwardly, "I could go change..."

"Nah, you look fine. I'm just glad to see ya, that's all." Zelos told her with a chuckle, watching with some satisfaction as her blush darkened another good hue. A gentle tug on his sleeve reminded him that he wasn't alone, and coughing once he stepped aside, nodding towards Seles who had come with him.

The moment Colette saw the younger Wilder, she darted forward to wrap the slim girl into a friendly hug. Seles managed a strangled squeak of alarm which had her brother laughing in the background, her hat flying from her head from the force and surprise of the embrace."Seles! I'm so happy you made it! I was hoping I'd get to see you!"

"Ah... Um... M-Me too..." Seles stumbled over her words, her face reddening until it matched well with her hair. Zelos was still laughing behind her, giving the young girl a fresh shot of embarrassment that made her stiffen on instinct. Colette released her almost immediately when she felt the change, further causing the young teen to grow flustered. "I-It's a pleasure to s-see you again Ch-Chosen Brunel..."

"Really Seles, you don't need to be so formal." Colette gently scolded the blushing girl, her own cheeks still pink as her eyes moved over to see Zelos' broad grin. Forcing her eyes away from him and to his sister, she continued sheepishly, "I'm not a Chosen anymore, you can just call me Colette. We're all friends here."

"Ah, yes, my apologies..." Seles mumbled nervously, glancing over to see the fond gaze her older brother was wearing as he watched the two of them. Coughing once, she looked down at her shoes after a quick glance around the nearly finished academy, "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay Seles, I'm the one who should be saying sorry though." Colette smiled sheepishly, drawing Seles' confused gaze. Now blushing crimson, the angel rubbed at the back of her neck, staring at her feet this time as she explained, "I'm really sorry about not being able to make it to your party at the end of the month... I wish I could go but I promised Neil to have the academy ready for the students by then..." As though she'd been struck by lightning, the angel jumped and then beamed radiantly before adding, "Oh, but I got you a present! I'll be right back, I'll go and get it!"

Without waiting for a word of protest, the angel already fled the hallway, leaving the two Wilders standing there in bemused silence. Zelos was the first one to break it, chuckling softly to himself as he pat Seles on the head gently, "Sorry about her, she gets really excited easily..."

"I told you I didn't want anything from your friends..." Seles told him in an accusatory tone, though the anger fell flat into a weariness that her brother knew all too well. Looking around at the well-constructed walls of the new school, the girl touched the Exsphere on her neck and continued very softly, "They're working so hard here, I feel bad for making them spend Gald on me... When you told me that Sylvarant was much poorer than Tethe'alla, I didn't know it was _this_ bad..."

"You've only ever been in Meltokio and that abbey, no one expected you to know any different when you saw Sylvarant for the first time. Everyone's still adjusting to the reunification Seles, don't feel so bad." Zelos chastised her gently, watching the young girl flinch as she touched the dried paint on the walls of the school.

Her expression was pensive yet saddened, her lower lip clenched between her teeth as she studied the structure without much interest. He had been surprised by how deep her sympathy ran for the Sylvaranti, she had seemed honestly appalled when she saw the difference between their classes. Much to his shock, she had been one of the first of the Tethe'allans to work with Lezareno to aid them. She retrieved her hat, dusting it off absently before placing it back on her head, mumbling, "I can't help it..."

He explained as gently as he could, though he couldn't keep the fondness for his counterpart angel out of his voice as he spoke about her, "Colette's a giving type of person. Even if she was dirt broke, had nothing to her name, she'd still find a way to give everyone a gift on their birthday. It's just who she is. You can't _make_ her do anything, she does what she does because she _loves_ everybody."

"I still don't want her to go without just for me." Seles argued stubbornly, watching Zelos raise his eyebrow in surprised amusement. Annoyed by her big brother's carefree attitude, she rounded on him and poked him in the chest, accentuating each word with a hard poke, "_That's just wrong_. She really is a kind person, I've only met her a few times and I already know that. She's willing to give me, a total stranger, a birthday present, and she's apologized fifteen times for not being able to make my birthday party!"

"Seles, that's just how she is." Zelos chuckled though he seemed weary, turning his head to the staircase where Colette had vanished. A hint of a smile lifted his lips as he thought of her, and he was reminded numbly of how much he had missed her smile while he had stayed behind in Meltokio. Almost to himself, he continued in a musing tone, "It's something that makes her special..."

"Special?" Seles repeated, raising both eyebrows as her brother snapped immediately to attention when he realized he'd spoken aloud. She nearly grinned when she saw colour burn in his face, his eyes wide and full of embarrassed horror. Not often was it that the younger Wilder had the chance to see her brother become so flustered, and she quickly pounced on top of the opportunity. Sidling closer to him, she gave him a tender nudge in the stomach, asking coyly, "You think she's 'special'? That's sweet, I've never heard you call any of your girlfriends, 'special'. What brought that on, big brother?"

"N-Nothing brought anything on Seles!" Zelos exclaimed loudly, whether he was trying to persuade her, or himself, neither Wilder was entirely sure. His saviour came in the guise of the blond angel that had nearly been his undoing, and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief when he saw her bounding down the stairs to greet them.

"Found it! Sorry it took so long, I– Whoops!" Colette broke off with a gasp, stubbing her toe on the last step, careening to fall face first onto the ground. Zelos' hand shot out to catch her wrist, pulling her upright and spinning her safely into his arms at the last moment, saving her both from injury and loss of pride. The former Chosen of Sylvarant turned a bright crimson shade as she realized her safety net was a pair of strong arms and the surprisingly muscled chest of her Tethe'allan counterpart. "O-Oh! I-I'm s-s-sorry Zelos, I didn't mean–"

"You tripped and fell Colette, don't apologize for something that stupid." Zelos laughed softly at her hasty apology, brushing his fingers almost casually along her blushing cheekbone. He grinned when she turned an even brighter shade of pink, suddenly realizing the way her lower lip stuck out just a little in her embarrassed pout. Knowing it would only be worse if Colette realized the reasons behind his sudden fascination with her mouth, he quickly set about to straightening her up, mumbling, "But seriously Colette, try to be a little bit more careful, it'd really suck if you ended up breaking something..."

"You could always heal me with your First-Aid though if I did, right?" Colette chirped happily into his embarrassed face, noticing that his blush was now on par with his hair colour. Seles was watching with a huge grin from behind them both, her eyes dancing as though she knew a secret. Very flustered then, she brushed off the dust from her knees, continuing hastily, "But um yes, ah, oh Seles!" She turned to the younger girl, hands outstretched with a tiny silver box in her palms. "This is for you!"

"Ah, but..." Seles began half-heartedly, before a warning look form her older brother stopped her dead in her tracks. Mouth closing tightly, she plucked the box from the blond's hands, admiring the slender shape of the treasure. After a moment, she opened it then gasped, her mouth falling open with an audible pop. "Oh!"

"Sheena told me that the ruby stood for health and when I thought of how you were always getting ill, I wondered if maybe it would help you or something..." Colette explained sheepishly, scrubbing at her nose awkwardly as Seles lifted the tiny ruby charm bracelet from the box. She seemed completely fascinated by the small gold trinket, and put it on immediately, eyes still wide with wonder. "I hope you like it, I mean I still wish I could go to your birthday party and all but um..."

"N-No, it's... It's beautiful, Colette... I love it, really." Seles answered with a shy smile, glancing down at her bracelet as an excuse to not show her embarrassment to the former Chosen of Sylvarant. She took an awkward moment to try and build up her courage, but it seemed to have disappeared. Cowed and not entirely sure why, she instead murmured to her shoes, "Thank you..."

"I'm just glad you like it!" Colette replied pleasantly, her smile stretching across her face until Zelos was sure it was touching both of her ears. She turned to see Zelos' warm grin, turned pink, but forced her embarrassment down instead and focussed on the just as sheepish Seles. "I really wish I could go to your party though..."

"I don't think you'd like it, a whole bunch of nobles are showing up and it's going to be really dry." Seles confided, a hint of a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips while she spoke. Though she wasn't used to the large fuss, somehow the royalty of Tethe'alla had taken over and insisted upon the large gathering now that she was once again welcome into their ranks. She sidled a little bit closer to her elder brother, continuing softly, "It won't be a lot of fun..."

"Maybe we could throw you another party when Lloyd and Sheena come back, with everybody here! That'd be more fun, wouldn't it? But of course you'd have to want that..." Colette dropped off, hanging her head as she realized she had jumped all over the idea without any consent from the actual girl. Now entirely shocked at herself, the angel murmured sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't do this, it's not fair of me to try and do things like that, after all, it is your birthday, not mine."

"N-No, I mean, I'd like to have you there, I'm sure it'd be way more fun than hanging around the stuffy noblemen!" Seles burst out in response to the melancholy look on the normally bubbly angel. Feeling quite guilty for making the teenager look like that, the young Wilder rushed to make amends, "I'd be really happy to have a party with you and everyone else, you're all so nice and all, it'd be a lot of fun–"

"Then it's settled." Zelos cut in smoothly, saving both his sister and Colette from exploding due to embarrassment. Wrapping his arms playfully around each young girl, he pulled them into an awkward hug and pressed his face against their hair tenderly. "You two are hilarious, you can't quit babbling once you get started, can you? We'll have a party somewhere around here when everybody gets back, I'm sure it'll be much more fun than hanging out with the nobles."

"I sure hope so, it'd be nice if the party back home was more lively." Seles commented somewhat sourly, looking up at her brother's grinning face before she pulled out from under his arm. "What?"

"Careful what you wish for, sis, you never know if you'll actually get it!" Zelos laughed, lunging for her hat and stealing it from her head before she had a chance to spin out of his reach. She was frozen for a moment, mouth wide and eyes startled, but it disappeared when he raced away from her, his loud laughter echoing in the hallway.

"C'mon, we ought to catch him!" Colette cheered as she took a gentle hold of her hand, following behind Zelos with a delighted peal of laughter that brought a smile to Seles' astonished face. It only took her a moment before she was giggling too, chasing after her brother as her laughter turned to delighted peals that mixed with Colette's squeal of glee and her brother's loud and cheery chuckles.

* * *

**Ozette**

"The flowers are blooming again..." Presea murmured quietly, a slight smile lifting her lips as she carefully touched the fragile petals of the daisy that had sprouted beside her father's grave. She turned to look at her half-elven companion who stood beside her, smile widening as she showed him the tender flower. "A daisy, correct?"

"Yep, that's a daisy." Genis nodded, kneeling down beside her, reaching out to settle his hand over the blooms. Her smile was growing, slowly, but he was glad to see the emotion shining in her eyes. Through his last year of living alongside her, he'd watched with a great satisfaction as her range of emotion grew. Smiles came naturally to her now, a large change from her once stoic exterior. "When there's enough of them, we should make a bouquet..."

"No, I like seeing them grow beside the headstone." Presea said quietly, watching as the mage's smile grew until it seemed to fill his entire face. She had seen many of those smiles in the months she'd travelled with him, but oddly the ones she saw most recently seemed to be different. As though his joy was no longer directed around him, but at something more particular. She turned her head to examine him, noticing that a familiar leather pack was strapped to his back. She took a breath, hesitant, then asked softly, "Are you going to Heimdall today?"

"Yeah... I don't like the latest spike in mana, it gave me chills this morning." Genis answered with a resigned sigh, standing up and adjusting the straps on his shoulders. Despite her not being able to sense what he sensed, he had confided in her the rapid changes of the level of mana he had been tracking. Though she truly didn't understand, his worry had become her worry, and she listened and advised just as he imagined Raine doing. Presea rose with him, her normally stoic faced creased with concern and despite himself, a ragged flush raced up his neck to settle on his face. "I-I'll be okay, it's just to Heimdall after all... I ought to be back in just a few days with my Rheaird..."

"The maps are not complete though." Presea commented in a monotone, attempting to disguise her unease at the thought of the young half-elven boy travelling alone. The entire reunification of the world had changed the geography drastically, leaving many of the people confused, lost, and in some cases, homeless. Though many scholars had set straight to work attempting to map out the new locations, only half of the maps had been completed, not nearly enough to give her any sort of security. "You could easily end up near Flanoir instead of Heimdall..."

"I can manage... I think." Genis admitted after she raised one eyebrow at his claim, his blush increasing tenfold. Her watched with surprise as she wrung her hands, biting her lower lip as though she wanted to speak to him but had no idea where to begin. He had seen that expression on her face before, more frequently as time passed. The robotic attitude she had always carried with her was melting, giving way to the child she had never had the chance to be beneath her mature exterior. He let out a defeated sigh, there was no victory regardless of what he did. "But... Ozette..."

"I wish to accompany you." Presea's voice was quiet, dropping to the softest of a whisper, as though she had become embarrassed. A very soft dusting of pink coloured her face, and she lowered her eyes to her feet. "I do not want you to journey alone, even if you are perfectly capable, which I know you are. I just... would prefer to be with you."

Genis felt his smile softening in tune with the heavy blush in his face, and he had to take a few deep breaths to steady himself. The burst of euphoric glee and shock had nearly downed him, and he still felt the hot flame of embarrassment eating away at his heart. Coughing a few times to clear his strangely constricted airway, he finally squeaked, "O-Okay, if you want to that much... I guess it wouldn't hurt for us to go to Heimdall t-t-together..."

Presea's lips quirked again, seeing the red flush that was rapidly taking over his moonlit skin. She tilted her head to the side in confusion, wondering what had caused him to develop such a violent fever in a span of seconds. "Genis... Why are you flushing that colour...? Do you feel ill?"

"N-No, I'm not s-sick..." Genis mumbled pathetically, turning his back on the axeman, rubbing his hands across his cheeks in a vain attempt to get the blood flowing again in his face. 'I can't do anything around her, I'm so stupid! Even after all this time with her, I'm still stumbling over my words... Damn!'

"Genis, perhaps we should postpone the trip until you feel better." Presea suggested with a raised eyebrow, mouth pulling downwards as her concern grew. She shuffled nervously closer to the half-elf, noticing with a start that he was shivering. Completely misplacing the reason behind his shudders, she continued softly, "You look very uncomfortable. Are you cold now?"

"N-N-No, I'm fine, really, it's n-nothing important!" Genis burst out loudly, turning on her so quickly that she had no time to react, leaving them nose to nose. Her eyes widened in alarm, and her mouth had dropped to form a small o of surprise. His own eyes widened and he swallowed noisily, feeling the blood in his body immediately rushing back into his face until it felt as though his mana had begun to boil it. Making a squeaking sound that could have very well been mistaken for a squeal, he jumped away from her and tripped over his shoes to fall, rather ingloriously, to the ground.

A long moment passed, with Presea staring at his downed form with a mix of bewilderment, worry, and amusement. She seemed torn between those three emotions and didn't move, but when he swore under his breath, she snapped back to her senses. Hopping closer, she extended a hand to help him, smiling gently into his surprised face. "Are you alright? You aren't injured, are you?"

"No... Nothing's bruised but my pride." Genis answered, accepting her hand, with another fierce flush, and pulling himself to his feet. She quietly dusted off the dirt on his shoulders, expression gently concerned, and despite himself, he wanted to catch her hand and hold it in his own.

"I do not understand how one's pride can suffer a bruising..." Presea mused as she fixed the crease in Genis' shirt absentmindedly, pulling away when she saw the rouge rising in his face again. A single touch from her always seemed to incur these odd fevers, and she made a mental note to keep her hands to herself if it made him so uncomfortable. Folding her hands behind her back, she added curiously, "It seems odd that something intangible can bruise..."

The young half-elf grinned as her nose crinkled as she pursed her lips, seemingly deeply entranced by the puzzle. Her intelligence had always surprised him, her maturity sometimes amused him, but it was her thoughtful nature and hesitant emotions that had truly drawn him in. She still thought almost like the computers he'd been studying in Sybak, and little inferences would occasionally catch her off guard. Trying to hide his pleasure at her curiosity for fear of offending her, he explained patiently, "Well I guess people say that to make pride seem alive. They say things like that about all of our emotions really, like your blood boils when you're angry and stuff. It's sort of a humanizing tendency."

"Oh, I see. That I understand, your blood does seem to actually boil when you grow angry." Presea agreed softly, still pursing her lips as her mind took her back to the darker memories of her returned life. She recalled fury, the choking rage that had seemed to set her ablaze. Akin to fury, she also recalled joy, the first true sparks of happiness she remembered when she had been accepted into the group of seven that would always be her home. "Yet your heart seems to almost fly when you are happy..."

"Yeah, though it's different emotions, they're all part of what makes you human." Genis explained with a growing smile, rather liking the way her thoughtful expression was melting into one of pride and delight. New knowledge, especially about her growing range of emotion, was always something that could bring a smile to her face. "It's a good thing."

Presea turned her gaze back to the flowers, admiring the fragile white petals of the flower she had been inspecting only a few moments before. Though the memory was dim, she could recall seeing such flowers before, growing outside of her house. Unconsciously, she knelt down and brushed her fingers slowly along the stem of the plant, testing its thickness with a feather-light touch. "I remember these flowers..."

"Did you used to pick them before...?" Genis let the question hang where it was, unable to finish it even if he had wanted to. For her credit, her distant expression did not change, and she merely continued to caress the tiny plant with a strange sort of tenderness. The abrupt change of conversation eased his embarrassment but it did spike his worry, and he spoke her name hesitantly, "Presea...?"

"I used to pick them for Daddy, when he first got sick. He was always so happy when I brought him flowers." Presea spoke aloud, her mind somewhere else as she plucked the flower from the ground, gently touching the petals again. She sensed Genis' worry, and she turned to see his concerned blue eyes. A plume of warmth echoed in her chest, filling the void she had always believed would remain empty, stretching it until it almost hurt. She took in a sudden ragged breath, then thrust the flower at him, not entirely sure why she was doing it to begin with. "Here."

"H-Huh? You want me to...?" He faltered for the second time, taking it from her and watching as she turned away, self-conscious. He grinned then, reaching out to gently tuck the flower behind her ear, rather relishing the feel of her soft skin brushing against his fingertips. She started, raising a hand to remove it but his left captured her around the wrist and he shook his head. "No, you keep it Presea. It looks much better with you then it would with me."

"But you're the one who is sick... I'd like to make you happy." Presea began softly, cut off when he shook his head and grinned at her. The warmth was back again, giving her the strange sensation of a tightening in her ribs and lungs. Confused and in pain though not entirely sure why, she mumbled his name, noticing that a strangely sweet flavour touched her tongue as it rolled from her lips, "Genis...?"

"I'd be happiest if you wore the flower instead of me."

"Oh..."

She was smiling again, though her face had taken on the same tint of her hair, an expression he found himself admiring. They both were silent for what seemed like forever, reverting back to who they truly were, two children who had little experience in the worldly ways of love. The awkwardness of the strange intimacy kept them both silent, searching through themselves as they tried to sort out words that made no sense in their minds.

A crow from the village saved them both, and they jerked as though struck by lightning. Genis' saw her worry, and this time it did not make him blush. Instead, he smiled and nodded towards Ozette where the sound had originated from. "Guess it's time for dinner. How about we get a bite to eat then head out tomorrow? We'll get a good night's sleep and take tomorrow off to go to Heimdall."

"That sounds perfect. Perhaps we could even stop by Altamira afterwards, I have been hoping to visit with Professor Raine and Regal. It has been too long since we last spoke, with the reconstruction and all." Presea added on somewhat hopefully, her smile widening as she walked alongside her half-elven companion, back towards her home.

"I still can't believe that he's married to my sister, I really didn't see that coming." Genis grunted under his breath, trying his best to sound annoyed but it came out amused and somewhat tired. Presea's eyes twinkled with mischief, a relatively new sign that he was still attempting to get used to, and he asked weakly, "What?"

"You know as well as everyone else that they had been involved since that night in Flanoir. It was no surprise that they married once the journey was over and we all had chance to finally be at peace." Presea reminded him playfully, seeing his cheek twitch as he fought against the grin he wanted to show. "You are happy for Professor Raine, aren't you?"

"Well yeah, of course I'm happy for her." Genis admitted with a sheepish grin, rubbing at the back of his neck as he walked the hill, carefully examining the ground to make sure he didn't trip again. She skipped ahead of him with ease, her footing always sure, and he added somewhat awkwardly, "I guess it was more that I was kinda jealous of him for taking her away from me. She raised me, y'know, and it's always been just the two of us. Now... It's not. I didn't like that for a long time."

"But now you are happy for her. It was not easy." She knew better than to make her words into a question, just the look on his face told her all she needed to know. Even now, after a near two years, he still held some bitterness towards the duke that had been a comrade and friend. "If your sister is happy, you are happy also."

"Yeah. It's like that." Relieved that she had somehow managed to crack the shell around his puzzle and sort it out with a simple sentence, he grinned brightly up at her. She froze mid-step at his grin, almost losing her footing, but before he had chance to give her aid, she was already straightened, looking nonplussed at her own reaction. Chuckling once, he continued sheepishly, "Besides... It's not like I'll always need my sister, I have to be an adult too... but she'll always be my older sister, the one who raised me and taught me everything I know."

"I am glad that you are happy, not just for the professor, but for yourself. It is important for you to find that balance I think." Struggling a little with her sudden confusion, she forced herself to focus only on the words, hopping up the last crest of the hill, waiting for him to follow. He was beside her after a moment, the confusion easing with his presence, and she managed to continue, "If you are happy, I am happy as well."

"That's good... If you're happy, I'm happy too." Genis agreed quietly, the blush once again entering his face and heart hammering away in his ribcage. 'Will I ever get over this?' He groaned to himself at his purely physical and irrational reaction, but as he saw her smile, her eyes twinkling with happiness, he already knew the answer and accepted what it meant.

'Guess not...'

* * *

**The Far North**

It was cold. It was the only thing Sheena's weary mind could think of as she watched her breath leave her in a puff of mist, reminding her parched throat painfully that she hadn't drunk in hours. Her entire body rang out in pure agony even when she didn't move, still feeling the effects of the torture she had experienced hours ago.

Her eyes had long ago adjusted to the darkness of the cell, the small and dark cave that had been her prison for nine long weeks. Her feet were shackled to the wall along with her hands, held above her by handcuffs and a short chain, stretching her arms out unless she stood rigidly against the damp and freezing brick wall. She had long ago lost the strength to stand on her own free will, she dangled by the bonds, wishing she could lie on the putrid and dirty floor that the rats made their home on.

Blood had dried on her tattered and stained clothing, her captors had found it amusing to let her stay in the rags of her once proud kimono. The wounds on her back were half-healed, but they wouldn't have the chance to congeal before she would be under the whip again, kneeling at their feet with her head bowed until they were satisfied. She had learned quickly that no matter how hard she fought, there was so escape from the pain, and even keeping her pride intact by the struggle did nothing to lessen the blows. She knew she had been broken.

It had surprised her then, by how fiercely her comrade still fought. She had been inspired, and vowed to continue to fight, to hold strong as she watched him glare into the eyes of their captors with each whipping. She had kept her eyes on him, willing herself to think of nothing else until her body gave into the pain and she blacked out under the blows.

She had lasted three weeks under the agony, only three weeks before she had been reduced to a speechless and beaten prisoner. Her pride, which had fled her the moment she had given into the torture, would have cried out in denial if it still existed within her. But there was no pride, there was no stubbornness under the torment, there was only an iron will to survive.

He had broken too, which made her feel better and disgusted at the same time. The soft adust eyes that she had found herself so in love with and admired no longer sparkled with fight or warmth, they were dull with pain and hunger. His red shirt had long since been destroyed, revealing his scratched and bruised torso, blood still dripping from the gouges in his back and chest. His determination had only given him four weeks, his anger one more, then his will had shattered too and he no longer fought. He sat quietly and took the blows as she did, his only goal now to survive, pride or no pride.

She glanced at him through the corner of her eye, wincing inwardly when she saw his battered state. Through all of their battles and through all of their journey, she had never seen him in such a way. Even when he had finally reached her in Derris Kharlan, after freeing the others and finally finding her, he hadn't looked so horrible. His hair unkempt and wet with blood, it hung over his face and obscured his features, his head hanging, breathing low and shallow so his chest barely moved with each pained breath he took.

Though her lips were dry and cracked, even though her throat was parched, she found herself speaking his name. She barely heard her own voice but she tried anyway, turning her head an inch to the left, to where he was to better see him if he was to reply. "L-Lloyd... Lloyd..."

He didn't respond at first, not even a twinge to show he had heard her. She nearly gave up after a moment, but then she saw his finger twitch, and after what seemed like an eternity, he turned his head towards her. Had it really been nearly a month since she had heard his voice? For a moment she saw his eyes flicker, a spark of warmth returning to the soft adust colour as they found her face, focussing. He spoke too, his voice even hoarser than hers if that was possible, lower than the softest whisper, "Sheena..."

There was something like an explosion then in her chest, and she was so confused by the rush of emotion that she couldn't speak. It had been too long since had felt anything but despair and hopelessness, but seeing his face, hearing him whisper her name, even as weakly as he had, gave her a shot of hope. It was so fierce that despite herself, her lips quirked into what resembled a smile, and she jested quietly, "You look horrible."

It took him a moment too, but then he was smiling, the same old cheeky grin that had stolen her heart long ago. His eyes twinkled, nowhere near the light they had once held, but enough to let her now that Lloyd,_ her_ Lloyd, still existed in his battered body. His hand twitched in the handcuff, scraping his raw skin against the metal and he cringed, but the smile remained as he replied softly, "You look great too Sheena. Is it just me or did you do something with your hair?"

She laughed, for the first time in nearly six weeks, she let herself laugh. Her hair had long since been released from its customary ponytail, now it dangled lifelessly around her face, sticking to her flushed face and neck. Shaking her head a tiny bit from side to side, she grinned weakly at him and answered teasingly, "Yeah, it's blood, I think it takes the shine right out of it, don't you think so?"

"Heh..." Lloyd chuckled quietly, though the gesture itched at his parched throat he somehow managed to do it anyway. He had forgotten this, the delight that had accompanied him as long as she had been at his side. She had been at his side, since their capture, and though there were times when it was a battle just to continue to breathe, she still somehow had remained with him. He winced when a bolt of pain shot through his ribcage, reminding him that his second and third ribs had been broken in his latest session of torture. His breath left him in a ragged hiss, and he uttered a quiet curse. "Shit... My ribs..."

"I really wish I knew how to use First-Aid." Sheena mumbled from his left, dangling her head and taking in a ragged breath of her own. She understood his pain well, her own ribs had broken several times during the last few excursions, they had barely a chance to even attempt to knit before the break was redone. Her entire body was on the brink of exhaustion, it was a struggle to keep her eyes open. "Dammit..."

"You sound as bad as I do..." Lloyd grimaced through his low chuckles, tilting his head so he could better see her. Her body was limp, she had given up all attempts to stand tall, and he couldn't fault her for it. He saw her pain, he had watched with grit teeth and mounting fury as she bowed her head under the blows and give up her pride for survival, just as he had let himself do. The pain was too great to continue to fight for nothing. The hungry growls from his stomach gurgled up again, reminding him that it had been nearly two days since he had last eaten, and on top of the pain of his wounds, the throbbing of hunger and thirst too had faded into the deeper recesses of his mind. Through dry lips, he tried to crack another weary joke. "I think I'd kill Yuan for a taste of Raine's cooking right now..."

"I'd trade my hand for a serving." Sheena agreed weakly, feeling the throbbing in her own stomach. The last crust of bread she'd been served two days ago had not gone down well, especially after the numerous kicks she'd received in the mid-section afterwards. She let out a low sigh, feeling her eyelids beginning to droop as a peaceful sleep beckoned to her. "I'm so tired..."

"I am too..."

An ominous creaking noise sent a fresh rush of adrenalin through the battered warriors, who both tensed at once as the door to their prison opened. The female angel that they both recognized as the leader of the squad stepped inside, her face, as always, coldly indifferent. The door sighed behind her, and she made no movement to approach the imprisoned duo, simply standing there in the shadows.

Lloyd nearly hissed, the cold feeling of dread sinking deep into his bruised bones, setting the hair on the back of his neck on end. Sheena too seemed to sense it, and even though it pained her, she stood a little straighter, narrowed her eyes and scowled. That seemed to amuse their captor, and Lloyd found himself wishing more than ever that his blades were once again in his possession.

He knew her well, though she had never once spoken in their presence. They both knew from the way the other Desians gave her a wide berth, how their eyes would fall to the floor when she even glanced their way that she held a rank. She had never raised a hand to either of them before, merely watched from the shadows as the other soldiers inflicted the pain on their already wrecked bodies. After a short period of time, she would stand and leave, seemingly bored. It was a first occurrence that she actually came to the prison to fetch them.

No one spoke, Lloyd too furious to find words, and Sheena too resigned and tired to really care if there would be a fresh round so soon after the last. The angel watched them through honey-coloured eyes, her long brown hair covered by shadow and hiding the vibrant emerald streaks that raced through it. It only took one moment for that lifetime of silence to pass, then she was walking towards them, sandalled feet whispering across the dirt-ridden floor.

She still didn't speak, instead she raised a hand from underneath her olive-green cloak, revealing a silver key. With slow, almost lazy movements, she unlocked the chains that held Sheena to the wall, freeing her of the bonds. The angel stepped back quickly before the ninja collapsed to the ground, having no strength to stand up properly. Her lips thinned again, almost into a smile, and then she snapped her fingers to summon two of the soldiers who had been waiting outside of the prison.

Turning her head to the soldiers, she commanded quietly, her voice a low whisper yet holding all the authority of her obvious rank, "Sedate her." The first soldier gave a crisp salute, approaching the still summoner with a business-like expression peering out from underneath his metal helmet.

A syringe materialized from nowhere in the soldier's hand, and he leaned over Sheena, a clear liquid trickling from the tip of the thin needle. She struck without warning, her left hand smashing expertly into the soldier's jaw, jerking his head back and breaking the half-elf's neck with a sickening snap that reverberated in the still room. The hypodermic soared into the air, narrowly missing the angel's face before the second soldier caught it, now rounding in on the growling Sheena. She had somehow managed to regain her footing, though she was shaky as she backed to the wall, the corpse at her feet, impeding her advance. The burst of strength would cost her.

"RUN!" Lloyd screamed, but she did not move as the soldier made his advance towards her, syringe held threateningly as he approached. Lloyd yelled again, struggling against the bonds that held him tight, willing her to leave him and flee. Though he knew she wouldn't make it far in a base full of soldiers, he wanted to see her go, to see her try to live. "_Now_!"

"I won't leave you behind." Sheena hissed back, her voice so low Lloyd wasn't sure if he had actually heard her. She stood her ground as the Desian approached, her legs betraying her weakness as they trembled. Her pain had seemed to double with the simple action of standing, and using her hand to break the neck of her enemy had cost her dearly when she was already so close to leaving the world altogether. Her mana was depleted and had no chance to recover, and she knew her enemies knew this, but still she refused to run.

The half-elf lunged, and Sheena ducked instinctively but her speed was outmatched by his brute strength. She never made it to the ground, the knee of her enemy slammed into her mid-section, smashing against her already broken ribs. Something flared inside of her chest, her breath catching in her gasp before she crumpled in agony, a moan emitting through her grit teeth. The needle plunged into her arm, and she could only watch helplessly as the dosage was injected into her.

It took effect almost immediately, her vision teetered crazily and her limbs turned to lead. Her eyes lifted with her last bit of strength, focussing on the horrified eyes of her companion. A strange contentedness soothed her terrified mind when she saw him, saw his pain, fear and anger. He was still alive. Something tickled at the back of her mind, urging her to whisper words that seemed out of reach. She never had the chance to try and discover what they were, she was enveloped by a warm blackness as her mind shut down.

"Sheena! _Sheena_!" Lloyd yelled as she collapsed, finally becoming motionless on the ground below his feet. He struggled even harder against the bonds, blood now flowing freely from the gashes in his wrists. He could see her chest rising and falling with her breathing, but it didn't soothe him, he still continued to thrash in his chains. She hadn't run, had refused to leave him, and though her stupidity angered him, her loyalty touched his heart and nearly killed him. She'd been willing to die before leaving him, just as he would have. "SHEENA!"

The angel smiled strangely, the expression showing no mirth but instead something akin to pity. She jerked her head towards the doorway, and the remaining soldier took a hold of the unconscious summoner's hands and dragged her from the room, deaf to Lloyd's shouts and roars of fury. She ordered the soldier calmly, never taking her eyes from the valiantly struggling swordsman, "Take her to the front, I'll handle her myself personally, as were my orders. No one else is to touch her."

"Yes Lady Tasogare, right away."

"_SHEENA!_" Lloyd screamed, his voice cracking as the doorway shut behind the soldier, Sheena now gone from his vision, nothing remaining but the bloodstained handcuffs that had once held her captive. A profound loss rose in his throat, a pain so agonizing that at first, he was lost to everything but it. He had never felt an anguish this violent. The pain he'd felt when his village banished him, when he realized the truths of his parents, when he realized that his father had been the one who betrayed them all, they were mere pinpricks compared to this heartrending agony he now felt. For a long yet instant moment, there was a rush of a hundred deaths inside of him, and when it was over, a new fury dawned on his tightened face.

The angel's face came into view then, he saw her honeyed eyes that watched him as a predator watched its prey, hungrily yet not without a certain degree of respect. His world had sharpened into one pivotal point at that moment, she had been the one who took his world from him. A sound that could only be described as a roar burst through Lloyd's teeth, and his struggles began anew.

Tasogare skipped backwards as the metal creaked ominously, she had seen many humans preform miraculous feats of strength when enraged or faced with a fatal crisis. She knew this human was no different, and she watched as his Exsphere began to glow on his hand, sending a new strength into his muscles to pull at the strong metal that bound him. She simply watched as he roared like a beast, jerking the chain loose from the old wall with one mighty pull, his rage transforming him into something akin to a god as he landed on the ground.

"_I'll kill you_!"

**AN**

**(Ducks inside my bomb shelter, giggling strangely to myself as I do so) Cliffhanger on the second chapter, is that even legal? I'd like to know. XD Yes, I realize I'm throwing you into the story in media res, that's the point. Some things in this story can't be explained right off the bat because if they are, it ruins the rest of it. XD That's my reasoning anyway, sorry if it annoys you. Clues, clues clues, that's all I'm giving you.**

**Hehe. Told you I'd be trying to update weekly, and it's not even Sunday yet. Am I a good girl or what? XD (Ignore that, it's just an ego boost.) Anyway, today's chapter was brought to you by root-bear at 7:30 pm, Three Doors Down, and a dose of exhaustion and writer's itch. (I wrote this last night, lol, just edited it today)**

**Oddly enough, since I have second period spare, I use that to write. Since I get a lot of ideas during school, writing during second period actually helps me to focus on my other three classes. This is so going to be a good year, I can just feel it! So it may seem pretty scratchy, since a lot this was thrown together oddly enough. I'm weird that way. Yes, I do like to make long author's notes when I write long chapters, however... This story is going to be FULL of epic long chapters, because it's going to be an epic long story. Deal, XD I like writing long stories, it pleases me. Strangely. XD**

**Sky**


	3. Time of Retribution

Lloyd was free, and a raging bast as he fell to his feet, launching himself towards her with another animalistic shriek of fury and bloodlust. Despite his rage, he was severely weakened and posed no threat to the healthy angel, and Tasogare moved like the wind to escape his lunge. Her elbow crashed down hard on top of his head and his knees buckled as the ringing pain snapped down his spine. However bringing him to his knees did not appease her, and with her still sheathed blade, she sunk the pommel into his stomach and forced him onto his back, breaking another of his ribs with the same movement.

Her foot rested almost tenderly on his throat, carefully using no pressure to cut off his air supply to his already battered lungs. He glared up at her hatefully, face still wild, and he saw her smile. There was no pity in her expression this time, there was only a coldness that left him feeling oddly hallow.

"Well fought, for a half-dead prisoner." Tasogare almost seemed to congratulate him, though no warmth ever made it to her indifferent face. She applied a very slight pressure to his throat, emphasizing his weakness as she complimented him. Her eyes shone with a strange malice, and she murmured softly, "So emotional. It's almost a waste."

"If you hurt her–" Lloyd began angrily, the spectrum of his vision beginning to tint red with his newfound fury. It wasn't enough that she had downed him, she mocked him and his struggle, using his emotions for her own gain without even knowing a thing about him. Her foot pushed down softly again, cutting him off and causing him to gasp for a breath of air.

"We have already harmed her. Your threat is irrelevant." She brushed him aside coolly, stepping down a little bit harder, annoyed with his ranting. His breathing became even more ragged, and the angel continued quietly, "Stay on the ground if you wish to keep your life. I really don't want to kill you."

Lloyd said nothing, but his emotions were shown vividly on his pained face. His expression raged with fury and denial, yet a true deep agony had robbed him of his youth, aging him by years in the past few seconds. Hope was a luxury he had long ago discarded in the dark prison, and he knew firsthand the ruthlessness of his captors. Sheena hadn't been safe with him, he shuddered to imagine what had become of her now that they were separated.

Tasogare read the unasked question in his eyes, and the strangely sad smile came to her face again. She lifted her foot and freed him, but knew he would not attempt to attack her twice. She stepped back, running her hand casually over her chain-mail vest, smoothing out the wrinkles in her tight leather pants, adjusting her cloak as though she had been ruffled by a gust of wind. She answered his unsaid words, having no sympathy or malice in her flat voice, "My orders were to dispose of her, she had outlived her usefulness."

He absorbed the blow with a straight face, while his chest shattered with a scream and he lost the will to stiffen his body. He lay on the ground, waiting for tears to flow from his eyes, but they remained dry. They both had known that their lives no longer were in their own hands, the torture was a show and sooner or later, they would be killed. But that had been so long ago, when she had been by his side, trying her best to bring a smile to his face in spite of her pain. He could mourn later, his life was on the line and he knew she'd never forgive him if he gave up now. Holding that thought to keep him sane, he opened his eyes and stared up into the face of his angelic enemy and whispered hoarsely, "Why didn't you kill me too?"

"Have you truly lost your will to live with her disposal?" Tasogare questioned, a true note of curiosity colouring her voice, giving her a humanized quality he hadn't thought possible. She knelt beside him, tilting her head as she examined him, expression rather thoughtful. She looked at him as though he was a puzzle she longed to solve, and she asked him again, "Were you in love with her?"

He froze, an electric current pushing past his agony for a heart-stopping moment, keeping him pinned to the ground. The angel had used the words so carelessly, giving no mind to the shock she would induce. He couldn't answer as his mind spun crazily, and he groped in the darkness for something to hold onto while his world tilted. She had been close, very close to him, but was that love? "I..."

"You spent many months in her company, her company only... It was obvious enough that she valued your life dearly. You, however, weren't so easy to read." Tasogare explained flippantly, carefully watching his eyes as they searched the darkness of the prison for an answer that wasn't within his reach. Her head still tilted, she watched the way the pain manifested itself on his face, transforming him into a deadened warrior who had lost his heart. She had seen that face before, though only from a distance, and the similarity was almost shocking. 'So _he _truly is his father.' "So you _did _love her. I wonder if that would've been a comfort for her to know, but you just realized this yourself. I suppose what even the oldest philosophers had said was true, you have no idea of the value of what you possess until it is gone from your grasp. Now that she is no longer in your reach, you realize the depths of your camaraderie."

Lloyd's world had sharpened again, his memories dancing in his mind with a violent and new strength. He saw her crystalline tears dripping down her cheeks as she hid her agony from him after Corrine's death, saw the redness in her face when he caught her by the hand to steady her when she tripped on the mountain path. More, he saw her sheer pleasure when he complimented her cooking, felt the warmth in his chest when she hugged close to his side when they walked in the darkness of the Temple of Shadow, heard the tenderness in her voice when she asked him worriedly if he was okay so many times over the course of their journey. The steady comfort she provided simply by standing beside him, the loss he'd felt when she had left him both at Meltokio and at the base of the Tower of Mana. _Still _more, when she had urged him onwards at the Tower of Salvation, her tears only now visible to him when she was gone from his grasp, her shy smile when she confessed that she wanted to be with him...

"_Great... friends."_

"_You better leave me a piece of the action!"_

"_I–I wanna– I wanna be with you."_

"_Th... Thank you. Yeah, you're right. I'm... okay. Because you're here."_

Tasogare stepped away from him, now certain that he was no longer a threat. She watched as he struggled to sit up, clutching at his chest as though his heart was trying to rip itself free of its bonds. His head was bowed and his breathing was coming in choked gasps, it only took her as moment before she realized he was sobbing. She said nothing to him, merely got to her feet and made to leave him to his agony.

A bruised and bloody hand closed around her ankle before she could take a step, and surprised, she looked down into the tear-stained face of the imprisoned swordsman. Though his hold was shaky, she felt the fury in his fingers as they pushed around her bare skin. She knew he wanted to close those hands around her throat until her eyes dulled over, and even then he wouldn't let go. His hand tightened until the bones in her ankle gave an ominous creak, but for the angel's credit, she showed no sign of pain. A slight pull at her lips gave a hint to her amusement, and Tasogare murmured softly, "Yes?"

"I'll kill you. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but I _will_ kill you for murdering Sheena, mark my words angel. I _will _kill you." Lloyd hissed the promise in the most menacing voice he could muster, his hatred showing through his seemingly dull adust eyes as he gazed up into her equally lifeless eyes. He released her ankle, letting his hands fall back to his side as she continued to watch him, seemingly sizing up the odds of his threat coming to term.

"I look forward to that day, Lloyd Irving." Tasogare replied with a strange smile, walking to the door before a magnetic pull stopped her from leaving the prison. Glancing back, she met the gaze of the hateful swordsman and once again her lips began to tweak. Her voice soft, almost friendly, she murmured, "By the way... My name is Tasogare. I figured you should at least know that much about me before you actually attempt to end my life."

Shutting the door behind her, she walked with purpose through the halls, resolutely ignoring the soldiers who scrambled to get out of her way. Her ankle throbbed as she put weight on it, harshly reminded of the strength the young man still possessed even when he was half-dead. The thought made her smile, she had never seen such strength and passion in any human in her very long life, it gave her a strange excitement. 'Perhaps I was right in doing what I have done, despite all of the risks involved. He possess a remarkable spirit and strength, unlike anything I have ever seen in my ten centuries of life. Perhaps he really is the one who will be the answer to my prayers... I waited nine-hundred and twenty-nine years to achieve this goal, and I'm so close I can almost taste victory on my tongue. With a few small pushes, hopefully...'

The thought ended rather abruptly as she neared the front doors, and her lips thinned into a barely noticeable scowl. The limp form of the ninja lay by the large doorway to the outside, but unlike she had expected, she was not alone. The larger body of another angel was kneeling beside her, hands outstretched until his fingertips nearly touched the exposed skin of her chest.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the back of the form, and her fury mounted as a cold disgust gripped at her heart. Tasogare's voice snapped out like a whip, the fury so high that it was impossible to hide as she snarled out the angel's name, "Auin!"

Auin whirled to his feet at once, a sickening grin pulling at his lips, casting an odd shadow on the angel's scarred face. His olive eyes glistened like chips of jade, and at once he raised bandaged hands in surrender. "Ah, my apologies dear Tasogare, I didn't know this belonged to you." He nudged the still ninja's arm with the toe of his black boot, watching as his comrade's eyes flare with barely suppressed rage and disgust.

"Get away from it, _soldier_." Tasogare commanded coldly, watching with a strange malice as the man skipped daintily away from the body, hands still raised and smile in place. She cleared the distance and stood almost protectively between them, scowl growing more pronounced with each second. "You are to leave at once."

"C'mon Tasogare, she's so heavily sedated she wouldn't notice if I cut off her pretty little arm." Auin chuckled menacingly, his deep voice tinted with a hunger that only left the hardened angel feeling ill. His gaze roved over the unconscious woman, lingering on the tears in her kimono where her pale skin was revealed. "And she _is_ a pretty little specimen, for a human at any rate. Why can't I have my fun with her?"

Tasogare said nothing and turned her back on the angel, easily hefting the unconscious body into her arms with one light movement. She gently moved the weight in her arms to rest more comfortably, before a cold weight on her stomach left her frozen. An outraged hiss left her lips but she didn't have time to bound away as Auin had moved too quickly for her.

Both hands settled on her sides to keep her still, Auin pressed his chest against her back, letting the hilt of his blade poke lazily against her side. He chuckled when she flinched away from him, and imagining her disgusted expression only fuelled his hunger. His voice low and silken, he whispered against her ivy highlights as he adjusted his hips to gently to push against her backside, "One day you won't be in time to rescue those little girls. I'll be able to have my fun without you being around to stop me. What's the point of being a tyrant, of being a demon, if you don't get to enjoy the forbidden delights?"

Tasogare didn't bother with warnings, she lashed out almost immediately when his mouth neared the bare skin of her neck. Her elbow sank deep into the unprotected flesh of his stomach, and he lurched back, coughing with shock. Turning and with rather easy balance, she followed it up with a kick to the mid-section, sending him onto his back. Still cradling the body of the ninja in her arms, she spat in his general direction, "I'm going to advise you to keep your hands to yourself from now on Auin, because one day my patience with your antics will wane."

She heard his laughter following her as she left the protection of the base, walking into the wasteland without a backwards glance. She lifted into an easy sprint with a soft sigh, weary of her movements lest she jostle the summoner into consciousness. Continuing to run as fast as her feet would allow, Tasogare sprinted over the land until it became a blur in her eyes, hopping from rock to rock as she journeyed through the mountainous regions.

Calling up the mental map she had of the now-combined lands of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, the angel recognized the closest town to her current position and halted in mid-leap. Landing on one of the flatter boulders, she set the ninja down and glanced out past the mountains, letting her long eyesight carry to the farthest reaches towards civilization. Tasogare nodded once to herself, kneeling down beside her before she gently pushed aside the torn fabric by Sheena's neck, finding what she was searching for within moments. "This will do... I hope you don't mind my borrowing your trinket for the time being..."

She tugged once, tearing the already fragile strip of fabric from the ninja's neck, causing the golden bell she had been wearing to tinkle softly in protest. Pocketing the memento, she raised her right hand to her mouth, tearing the glove from it with her teeth before she lay her hand softly against the injured summoner's stomach. Feeling for wounds, her smile became bitter as she took stock of how badly damaged the flesh and bones were. "It will take much more than a mere shot of First-Aid to heal these injuries. I'm afraid those medical techniques are beyond my expertise. Hopefully you can make it to the nearest village in that state, for I cannot take you any further." She sighed once and pulled the glove back into place, getting to her feet easily with a weary expression. "My apologies."

"Ughn..."

Tasogare froze when she heard the barely audible moan from below, and she tensed when her gaze travelled down to watch as Sheena twitched, her eyes opening blearily for a heart-stopping moment before they slid shut again. The angel didn't breathe a sigh of relief, though her tense body relaxed ever so slightly anyway when the girl slid back into her unconscious state.

"I've overstayed my welcome." Tasogare murmured to herself, skipping away from the body and back several feet. Taking one moment to look at the still body of the teenage woman, she allowed herself a brief smile. She murmured a soft prayer in the language of the elves, words that rolled from her tongue almost like song as they left humming in the cold afternoon air.

"Watch over her Martel, for she may be one of the few who may very well allow me to exact my revenge."

* * *

**Heimdall**

Genis was weary as he crossed the invisible barrier that had prevented his kind from ever setting foot into the forbidden eleven village. Presea was tense at his side, her hand twitching ever so slightly towards the handle of the axe that was strapped neatly to her back in case she had need of the great weapon. The two were well aware of the eyes of the other elves that journeyed curiously and almost resentfully to them, but for the sake of keeping the peace, they ignored it and continued on their way forward into the village.

"Even after everything that Lezareno did for them and the village, they still harbour resentment towards you." Presea murmured under her breath, attempting and failing to keep her annoyance to herself. She disliked heavily how their eyes lingered hatefully on the young mage who walked alongside her, the stiffness of their postures as though they were fighting an inner battle to stay where they had been before. "I can't believe their selfishness..."

"It's alright Presea..." Genis told her quietly, ignoring their dark gazes and forcing his own to stay forward and not falter. Her anger fed into his own, and despite his logical reasoning, it took too much self-control to keep his hand from straying to the kendama in his belt. "We're here to see the elder, that's all that matters, not what the rest of them think. C'mon, just ignore them..."

The journey to the centre of the elven village seemed to take centuries, and Presea grit her teeth further with every step she took. The resentment and annoyance seemed to come from everywhere, focussing intently on the boy beside her. With all the self-control she possessed, she continued to walk alongside him.

The elder trees, which had once reminded her so much of her home, seemed so foreign now. The earth and wildlife still bore the scars from the falling pieces of the Tower from two years ago, but the warmth she remembered was strangely absent now. The surrounding forest was too daunting now, too empty for the lumberjack to find any comfort in it. Following the burbling creek, they crossed over the small bridge and towards the largest house in the village were the elder had found his home.

Genis wasn't surprised when the door opened before they reached the porch, the elven man stepping out from the home. His ancient face still retained the lines Genis' remembered, though there seemed to be a new tension in his emerald-coloured eyes. He made no welcoming gesture to the twosome, simply stood in the doorway, awaiting their approach.

Genis raised his fingers to his forehead in an ancient sign of respect and greeting, Presea mirroring the move behind him, albeit more stiffly. The gesture was not returned. Straightening a bit, Genis let his gaze fall over the old elf's wine-coloured robes and old staff before he spoke quietly, "I'm sorry to intrude, I know you didn't want me coming back to the village unannounced, but there was something I needed to speak with you about."

The elder said nothing, merely turned his back on them and walked inside the old house. He did not shut the door behind him, and the two took it as a silent invitation to follow and quickly hurried after him. The elder sat down silently on a chair by the window, and motioned with a ancient hand that they were to follow suit. Quickly doing so, the ancient took a moment before he began quietly, "I know why you've come, I have been anticipating your arrival. You have come in regards to the mana level, have you not?"

"So you've sensed it too." Genis muttered darkly, his body freezing as he murmured the words. The elder's eyes stared back into his own, the aura of tension rising with each passing second. He felt no relief for his fears being assured, instead his fear seemed to double and weight down his limbs. "Do you know the cause?"

"Unlike your allies in Mizuho, we elves do not concern ourselves with the whys of the world. We only know that the level of mana is rapidly increasing and decreasing at dangerous levels." He answered him flatly, the condescending note in his voice barely hidden as he spoke down to the duo.

Presea stiffened on impulse, a warning growl beginning in her throat at the subtle insult hidden inside of the elder's voice. Genis' hand settled on her shoulder, a silent warning, and he didn't let any emotion get to his face as he answered the elder's challenge with one of his own. "So you have no idea what could be causing the rapid declining or growth of the charge? None at all?"

The barb was well noticed, however the elf, for his credit, did not react sourly. Instead, he let out a low breath before his body tensed again, all seriousness returning to his lined face. He answered them coldly yet without the insulting voice he had used beforehand, "The only things capable of disrupting the flow so violently are the Summon Spirits or the Tree itself. However, since you've formed pacts with each of them and the tree has only just sprouted, I doubt that is it any of these things. Mana of powerful beasts, when combined, can have an affect on the flow of man around their breeding grounds, but for the flow to be disrupted all over the world... It is impossible."

"Well not impossible, seeing as it's already happened..." Presea murmured to herself, eyebrows furrowing together as she struggled with the weight of the puzzle. All of her logic did not seem to help her now, leaving her empty and frustrated. Both Genis and the elder seemed deeply immersed in thought, and biting her lower lip, she strained to solve the puzzle also. Quietly, she mused as she thought of the Tree, "Is it possible that the Tree is reacting to a strong presence of mana and attempting to settle the imbalance?"

Genis blinked, then his face split into a grin. The question was sound enough, though he knew that any presence that emanated such a violent array of mana could be nothing that boded well for anyone. He glanced at the elder for confirmation, and the taken-aback expression once again gave him all he needed to know. "Is it possible? Can something or _someone_ give off that much mana to cause the Tree to try and correct the imbalance?"

"I have never heard of such a thing, even in the ancient records of the great Kharlan War was there never a mention of a mana so powerful that it set the mana level into chaos." The elder began slowly, colour draining from his already pale skin, giving the duo a real glimpse at his true age. He seemed to have aged by centuries in that one moment, a true fear shining through the lines of his face. "But it _is_ possible, if some being had come into possession of a large amount of power it could very well upset the balance. The Giant Tree, in an attempt to keep the peace would of course react naturally to try to correct the imbalance by both taking and exuding large quantities of mana in time with the outbursts. _If_ your theory is correct..."

"This enemy could very well be more powerful than all of the Summon Spirits combined." Genis finished for him, eyes narrowing as the reality hit his shoulders with such force that he nearly buckled where he sat. the idea seemed outrageous, and he remembered a time nearly three years ago when he would have laughed outright if he had ever heard of the theory. "This is totally insane... How the hell do we go up against something even stronger than all the Summon Spirits?! If there's even a way to correct this!?"

"That may or may not be a problem, if whatever that is causing the change of flow happens to be a living creature..." He faded off into silence, closing his eyes and taking in several deep breaths as though to calm himself. He opened his eyes again and continued in a low but serious voice, "Much of this is pure conjecture, and may not even be worth worrying about... However, I will keep my eyes on the level of mana. I would advise to going to Sybak also, in order to take a more in-depth look at the research being done. Otherwise, I do not believe it to be worth fretting over."

Genis let out a sigh of his own then glanced towards his left, where Presea had been sitting in complete silence. She did not look appeased by the elder's quiet brushing aside of their problem, but she kept her silence and waited patiently for his addition. He took a deep inhale and closed his eyes, mind running crazily over any and all theories he had. He was quiet when he said, "I want to get my sister and bring her here to speak with you. She probably has a better grasp of it than I do."

"Do as you will."

"I'll do just that." Genis answered quietly, getting to his feet as he knew the conversation between them was over. Presea was at his side in an instant, and nodding his head once towards the elder, he was quick to leave the house and return to Ozette with Presea. She followed him silently out of the village, and he was abruptly glad for her presence as it sent a strange wave of clam through his body.

Presea waited until they had left the village and had begun to journey into the forest of Ymir before she spoke up, voice quiet and curious as she asked, "Do you think that there is actually someone that is throwing off the balance of mana, Genis?"

Genis didn't answer at first, his teeth grit as the facts sorted themselves out neatly in his head. It had all made sense, and though it scared him to imagine an enemy with such power, his logic overwhelmed his own misgivings and he stopped in his tracks to look the tiny axeman in the eye. She stared back at him with her cold calmness, giving him the strength to answer her truthfully. "Honestly, it all makes sense from a logical standpoint... The Great Tree's only just sprouted, so it's impossible for it to be giving off this much mana already, but it is fulfilling its role to equalize the imbalances. The only thing that could mess it up so much is a force that's emitting a huge load of mana, or is using it. Derris Kharlan can't be doing it since it's too far in space to reach the surface..."

"Do you think that Raine will have more information?"

"I don't know to be honest... I have no idea about any of this, but I haven't researched the records like sis has... So she might have a better understanding of it." Genis admitted somewhat sheepishly, running a hand over his face as if to wake himself up from a nightmare. He glanced up into the branches of the trees, and asked her quietly, "Have you noticed that there's been a lot less monsters in the area since I first told you about the shifts? It's like they've all taken off..."

"Yes, I have noticed." Presea affirmed quietly, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed their surroundings with some unease. She clearly remembered the last journey they had all taken into the Ymir Forest, and then it had been teeming with creatures of all shapes, sizes and ferocity. Now the journey was silent and uninterrupted, and while she was glad to avoid the battles, the strangeness of the absence of enemies was too much. "It is odd... As if they sense that there is a disaster approaching. Even the birds have stopped their morning chorus outside of Ozette... Is it perhaps a sign...?"

"Raine taught us a long time ago that animals and monsters were more attuned to the environment and mana than we humans or elves are." Genis answered somewhat vaguely, looking around with a darkening frown. Even with the strange silence, his hand lingered on the handle of his prized kendama, ready for an attack at any moment. He muttered softly, "If they're gone, it can't be a good thing for any of us..."

"This is why we must see Raine as soon as possible and figure this out once and for all."

"Yeah."

* * *

**Meltokio**

**Nobles' Hall**

"The princess went all out with the celebration." Zelos mused quietly, swirling the amango champagne in his glass absently, watching as the royalty mingled and made a loud fuss over his half-sister. Seles had silently endured it all, managing to keep her discomfort hidden from the nobles and despite himself, he felt rather proud of her strength. Even though she truly despised the fuss that was being made, she said nothing and let them do as they would without a word of complaint.

The noble's hall was surprisingly full, with high-end dressed royalty and nobles filling every square inch with their bodies and extravagant clothes. Even the two Wilders had been hard pressed to accept new garments, and with some annoyance, Zelos had accepted the white and black tuxedo while Seles wore a frilly red dress that she looked as though she wished to burn it. While she had quickly become the centre of attention, Zelos had slunk back through the crowd to the far wall in solitude, knowing that Seles would search for him when she wanted him.

He sighed quietly, leaning against the back wall and watching the party with a weary eye. Only the king and princess had dared to speak to him, the women who normally flocked to his very presence were keeping well away. Zelos wondered idly if it was Seles' doing that they left him alone, but in any case, he didn't truly mind. He had been growing bored with their meaningless company, it almost felt better to be alone these days.

'I wonder what Colette's up to right now... She'd sure as hell liven up this drag of a party...' Zelos wondered silently, his mouth quirking as he imagined her in the ballroom, alight with excitement and joy. He remembered the first and only time he had seen her dress formally, during the party that celebrated the princess' return and safety. Her strawberry and cream dress had matched perfectly with her complexion, and she had gone rouge when he'd asked her quietly for a dance. Chuckling to himself, Zelos murmured, "I actually miss her being around... It's not the same now that we've all split up... It's kinda... lonely."

Watching from the sidelines, he couldn't help but grin when he saw the flustered Seles trying to have a conversation with some of the nobility. Her usual frosty demeanour has changed since she had been allowed outside, revealing her softer and more compassionate nature. Her elder brother would have been lying if he admitted that he wasn't proud.

She had been surprisingly shy consorting with anyone she hadn't met previously, giving into the childish impulses of hiding behind his legs while he introduced her to the royalty of Tethe'alla. While she'd been quick to adjust and wore the politely indifferent mask he knew so well on her face, he knew she was still as shy as ever, not enjoying the company anyway.

Seles now left the centre of the crowd, dodging between the heavy clothing of the royals to find him by the wall. When she finally spotted him, a line of white topped with his fiery red hair, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly made it to his side within moments. He was laughing when he caught side of the blush on her cheeks, and with a scowl, she tenderly sank her elbow into his ribcage.

"Oh c'mon big brother, at least have _some_ sympathy! It's completely ludicrous out there, I get can't a word in edgewise with the nobility! I'm almost wishing that your friends had come." Seles added almost as an afterthought, her blush worsening when she saw Zelos' eyebrows cock. Quick to recover and hasty to not let him jump to conclusions, she added, "B-But I'm glad they're doing what they can for their homes, I mean I'd hate to draw them away from it! They've been working so hard!"

"A pity, seeing as I invited Colette yesterday and she said she could come..." Zelos replied offhandedly, watching with a grin as Seles nearly exploded where she stood with shock, embarrassment, and confusion. He couldn't keep her going for too long, even though it was almost too fun to stop. He gave her a minute to begin to fret before he finally burst out into apologetic laughter. "Sorry, I couldn't help it, it was just too much! Your face was the most brilliant thing I have ever seen! Colette's not actually coming, I was just jerking your chain!"

"Ughn, you are _impossible_!" Seles burst out loudly, trying her best to keep the mask of annoyance on her face so her relief didn't shine through. Zelos seemed to read her like a book and his grin grew, and with a huff of frustration she turned her back on her brother and stormed through the crowd to be as far away from him as humanly possible. 'Why do I love him again? He drives me _nuts_!'

Grumbling curses that she never had dared to speak aloud, let alone in public, she could clearly see her brother at the opposite end of the hall, still laughing over his joke and her reaction. She hung her head and muttered a dirty word, wishing she could redo the moment over to save herself the embarrassment. Though she had tried her best to hide it, like her brother, she had taken an immediate liking to the blond-haired angel. The smile she always wore melted even the iciest of hearts, and perked everyone up around her. 'I have no idea what she sees in Zelos...'

She looked at him again, though this time without annoyance. He was still grinning, and was chatting amiably to Princess Hilda, completely oblivious to her stares. His smile, when honest, was an oddly shining one and though it irked her to say it, she could see why many more women had become increasingly attracted to him after the journey. Though he didn't react the same way with them anymore, there was an odd sort of boredom in his expression as he shooed them away, letting them down as gently as possible. His thoughts wandered somewhere else nowadays, and Seles had the suspicion that she knew exactly who he was thinking of.

Though she admitted she was far less skilled in the ways of love than her brother, she was not blind enough to not see the looks Colette saved for him and only him. Her cheeks would redden when his gaze lingered on her, and her smiles were much more brighter the second he was beside her, which he had often been when they had been in Palmacosta. 'She really does like him... Not like the other tramps that followed him around the city a long time ago... She doesn't care that he's a Chosen, it's just because big brother is big brother...'

"I'm happy for you... big brother. She's a good one." Seles admitted sheepishly, folding her arms as she examined her brother's pleased expression as he chatted up the princess. Unlike the past, he seemed to be talking to her only for friendship's sake, and for Hilda's credit, she seemed honestly to enjoy herself on those grounds. She had known from the moment she'd seen her elder brother smile with such fondness at the blond girl of Sylvarant, that there would never be another who'd catch his eye again. The idea almost made the young teen grin, she was glad to see that something, if anything, had finally set him back on his feet and away from his earthy ways.

Rolling her eyes, she froze suddenly as a tiny sparkling silver object caught her gaze from the far corner, opposite of where her brother was standing. Her body ran cold as she recognized the crossbow, and she felt sick to her stomach as she took in the hooded figure lying in the rafters.

It only took her a few moments to know what was happening, and her body had started to move before she told it to. She shoved aside anyone who got in her way, crying out for her brother to see her, to move from where he stood. 'How couldn't he see them!? Dammit, dammit, they're going to kill him! Big brother...!'

She was back in time, watching as her mother was pulled away from their home in chains, screaming and yelling all matters of curses at the knights who dragged her behind them. She remembered seeing the pained expression on Tokunaga's face as he quietly explained that her mother would no longer be coming back to her. Dead. Her mother was dead and gone, and soon the only remains of her family would be gone as well.

"NO!"

Zelos whirled as he heard Seles scream, his hand reaching for the sword on his hip but it never made it there when his little sister threw herself into his arms, knocking him back against the far wall. His arms wound around her instinctively, then there was a heart-stopping pause as a whistle cut through the air, followed by a sickening thud and a loud gasp from the girl in his arms.

"SELES!"

Cursing angrily, he fell to his knees and began to focus the mana in his hands, shielding his sister from another attack as he hissed elven words to form the magic he wished to unleash. He already knew where the attack had come from, and with a roar more animal than human, a bolt of lightning shot from his palm into the rafters, striking its mark with a crack that rolled like thunder. The charred form of a black-clothed figure fell to floor, bones snapping with audible crunches, and it gave the red-headed swordsman a sick pleasure to know he'd killed the attacker.

Seles let out a soft whimper from his arms, and he worriedly turned her over to see the damage that had been done. A single arrow had struck between her shoulder blades, painting the white fabric an ugly crimson as her blood flowed. The arrow had hit its mark true, the shaft buried deeply in her chest until the head protruded from her stomach, glistening silver.

"No, Seles... Shit!" Zelos cursed violently, oblivious the chaos around him as he cradled his sister's limp form in his arms. He knew better than to remove the arrow from her body, knowing it would only worsen her condition if he tried. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she stared up at him, and with grit teeth, he whispered softly, voice breaking with agony, "Hang on Seles, I'm going to get that out of you, okay? Just be strong, you're going to be alright!"

"B-Big... Big brother..." Seles whimpered, coughing up blood with a ragged sound that only sent pain through her already injured chest. Zelos clutched her all the tighter, and a cold drop of liquid fell onto her cheek. Looking up in bewilderment, she was stunned to see that her elder brother was crying as he held her, desperate to help her in any way he could. Softly, reaching her hand up to touch his cheek, she managed a smile and murmured, "Sorry, big brother... I didn't want to see you... get hurt."

"Stupid, I've been hurt enough, I don't want to see _you_ get hurt!" Zelos hissed, tearing off his gloves with his teeth, well aware that her blood was soaking through his pants and the front of his shirt. She was badly wounded though he felt relief to know that the arrow had missed her spine as she was still able to move her feet and legs. He knew his First-Aid would be useless at the rate of her damage, and his stronger techniques would only work if he somehow managed to remove the arrow and apply his mana immediately afterwards. Gritting his teeth tightly because he knew he was going to cause more damage than he ever wanted to see on her body, he warned her hoarsely, "I gotta take it out of you before I can heal you Seles, you understand?"

"Y-Yeah..." Seles answered with a breathless nod, staring up into the tortured face of her elder brother. She managed a smile, touching his cheek with her fingers, ignoring the resounding pain her lungs as her heart beat rapidly in time with the adrenalin. A strange and welcoming darkness had begun to appear in the corners of her eyes, willing her to close them and fall asleep. She struggled against this heavy weight and numbness, whispering to her brother, "I'm glad... I made it... I don't think I... could've lived in a world without you... big brother..."

"Seles!" Zelos yelled as her hand slid from his cheek to fall into his lap, her eyes closing but the smile remained. He grit his teeth loudly and turned her over, snapping the end of the arrow's tail off before he wrapped his fingers around the head of it. He pulled harshly, yanking the shaft from her body and tossing it aside before his hands covered the exit and entry wounds, focussing his mana into his fingers as a green glow formed around him. He didn't think twice about what it would cost him to transport his life-force into her body, and with a roar that mingled his agony, ferocity and rage, he screamed, "HEALING STREAM!"

He could feel the weakness taking place over the mana he was pouring into her body, and he became deaf to the screams and yells of the others around him. His mind was furiously focussed on healing her, while morbid thoughts of the past came back to him and warned him of what he was standing to lose if he failed.

"_You should never have been born."_

"_Zelos. I trust you."_

"_What the hell are you doing!?"_

"_A traitor like me has value?"_

"No." He hissed angrily, beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck and trickling down his back as his increase in effort pushed his body to the limit. Her skin was healing over now, the holes sealing but still he continued to pour his mana into her, knowing that the arrow had done so much more damage than simple puncture wounds. 'I won't lose you Seles, I won't! You're not going to die, do you hear me?! No one's gonna take my little sister away from me!'

His mana had been stretched beyond its limits, and the sparks that flowed from his fingers began to fade before they disappeared altogether. One moment passed, and when her eyes didn't open his body sagged in defeat and he prepared to howl his agony to the heavens. A single twitch of her hand against his thigh brought him back to his senses, and with a low moan he pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her hair. "Seles... Thank Martel you're alright... I.."

"Big brother..." Her voice was painfully weak as she whispered to him, small hands weakly pushing against his chest as he nearly smothered her with his joyful embrace. "I can't breathe..."

"S-Sorry Seles..." Zelos loosened his grip on her immediately, letting out a relieved sigh as she slumped against him with a grateful sigh. Her eyes were still closed and though her injuries were healed, the pain on her face let him know it would take a few days before her body really understood that her injuries were gone. Gingerly, so not to aggravate her any further, he stood and swung her up into his arms, nestling her protectively in his embrace.

The clamour around the two Wilder siblings lowered until the entire hall became as silent as Death himself. His expression masked by his long hair, Zelos walked over to the where the assassin had fallen. The man was dead, his features charred from the electrical burns of the lightning he had been struck with. The Chosen felt a small surge of satisfaction when he looked at the corpse, though his attention was diverted when he saw the cream coloured parchment clasped in the fallen man's hand.

Leaning down carefully, weary of a surprise, he shifted Seles to his right arm while his left eased the paper from the assassin's dead grip. Once again shifting his sister in his arms, he was weary to open the ancient parchment, as if it would fall apart in his hands if he was too rough with it. His indecision only lasted a few instants, when Seles shifted against him with a soft whimper of pain, his mind made itself up. Opening the paper, he read the words that had printed there, just for him as he had expected. His stomach tightened unpleasantly, and almost instantly he felt dread welling inside of his body for the first time in the two years of peace in the newly-christened Aselia.

_Chosen of Tethe'alla,_

_We are coming._

**AN**

**Shorter than last time, I know, but that was where the chapter was going and I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to XD Stories have a mean tendency to take on lives of their own, even from the first chapter and onwards. So I decided to give into my muse (this time being Nightwish), and let the chapter go as it pleased. Enfin, there is a mess of words that make no sense and leave me feeling like I really owe a better update next weekend.**

**YAY READER REVIEWS! (Watches as Sy throws confetti into the air with a rueful grin) Yes, I brought it back just for you Sy, lol, since you loved it so much in Jealousy. I hope you're pleased with yourself. Just joking with ya, it means a lot to me to see you review so all banter aside, let's get to the point now shall we?**

**Maurice A. Nigma: I love your long reviews, lol, it almost feels worth it to put so much effort into the story to hear such lengthy praise and enjoyment from a chapter. Yes, lol, I'm an R&R fan, so I'll hush my mouth and leave that where it is. I'm a bad shipper, I should probably work on that... and yes, I didn't want to throw Genis and Presea into that "loving couple thing" I've seen in many fics, it doesn't seem like that's enough time (even two years) for them to establish any true romantic connection beyond occasional stirrings. Is that odd? XD And yeah, the whole SheenaxLloyd was a violent climate shift in the story, as was meant to be. I wanted to give my readers a real shock, I think I did it. XD**

**Eternal Brave Soul: Yay, I was waiting to hear from you! The action is nowhere near started (sinister giggle) I'm kidding, lol, that's seriously maybe about halfway as good as I'm gonna get through the entire fic... Knowing me.**

**Sychotic: Now, how could I forget about you? Lol as I said in Maurice's review, it was supposed to go in harsh and leave you kind stunned and annoyed at me. As I always say, if I can leave a reader with an emotional response, I think I did somewhat good at my writing. Blame the psycho me.**

**Well that's all for this week, sorry for the lateness and I'll see you all next week!**

**Sky**


	4. Sorrow and Knowledge

**Meltokio**

**Zelos' Mansion**

Colette bit her lower lip as she peeked out of Seles' room towards the staircase, where she knew Zelos was sitting. He hadn't moved from there once since she had arrived, and his silence had worried her. When she had received the message, she'd left immediately from Palmacosta, though it had taken her a good two hours to actually make the flight from city to city. Zelos had greeted her with a look of numbed surprise, explained things to her quietly, then let her go to see the young girl.

The girl wasn't awake, which didn't surprise her, and silently she slipped from the room and tiptoed down the stairs to meet with her red-headed counterpart. He didn't even look up when she sat down beside him, and she took care not to speak until she was able to study him. His eyes were deadened with pain and loss, even though his sister was upstairs, safe and alive. His expression was one of stone but the cracks she had seen in his armour gave way to the anguish and guilt he was suffering from.

His pain hurt her, in the strangely non-physical way she had once experienced pain. The deadened mask he was wearing scared her, as she had never seen such a thing on him before. Nervously, though with purpose, she shuffled closer to him and laid her hand on his arm as he hid his face in his hands. He never looked up, but she wasn't deterred, leaning close until her mouth almost brushed at his ear, "Zelos... Seles is alright, you healed her perfectly, there won't even be any scarring. You weren't to blame for what happened, she saved your life because she loves you, and she'd do it again in a heartbeat if she had the chance. This is not your fault."

"It is my fault." Zelos muttered hoarsely, his throat thick with tears he still had yet to shed over the incident. Though Colette had only been at his mansion for nearly four hours, ever since her arrival he had been weighted down with the urge to break into pieces. He knew with her, unlike with anyone else, that she would accept this side of him as she had accepted every side, with a smile and gentle eyes. "It's all my fault."

"Zelos..." Colette's voice faltered and she sighed quietly as she knew none of her words would reach him. Instead, she tugged on his sleeve and when he looked up, she wrapped her arms lightly around his shoulders and hugged him like she would hug an upset child. He turned stiff, and whether he was embarrassed she didn't know, she hid her face in his shoulder and whispered softly, "It's alright... It's just you and me here. You can cry, I won't think any less of you."

Her voice was gentle, and he was harshly reminded of the warmth he had never received from his mother. The guilt and pain rose in a blinding crescendo, and he finally allowed the tears he had been holding loose. She held him through his silent sobs, whispering soft nothings into his ear while her fingers combed lovingly through his long hair. His sudden release scared the hell out of the swordsman, he had never before allowed himself to be held this way, to allow anyone to see the pain he carried so carefully in his chest.

'Why does she make it so easy to... to be me? I've never felt like crying to anybody before, especially her!' He couldn't pull himself away though, the tenderness of her touch and her sweet honey-like smell made it almost impossible to even consider moving, let alone letting her go. It was almost too quick, how his tears dried up and he no longer had any more to spill, and a hallow numbness took over his chest and eased the burden from his shoulders. "D-Dammit... T-Thanks... Colette..."

"Everyone needs to cry... It's natural." Colette answered him sweetly, pulling away just enough so that she could see his face. As she had expected, he'd adverted his eyes and his face matched the colour of his hair though he was trying to look unconcerned with himself. Smiling sheepishly, she turned away from him and tried to calm her own racing heartbeat. She had hugged Lloyd and Genis before, and yet neither embrace had ever made her chest feel so full that it nearly burst. Only Zelos and his grin made her heart skip beats and her cheeks redden until her face felt like it was on fire. 'I just hope he's okay...'

Zelos rested his hand tenderly on top of her hair, but couldn't find the courage to look at her face when he did so. He knew that she was smiling though, and she shifted just a bit so that their shoulders now brushed and she was almost leaning on him. They sat there in silence, finding it strangely comfortable not having to speak to each other. Every so often she would let out a sigh, and he'd tenderly ruffle her hair before she'd lean a little bit more on him, every word spoken with an action that the other knew strangely well.

"Zelos... um... I was thinking about that man you told me about, the assassin at the Hall?" Colette began nervously, clearly afraid of a rebuff. When he didn't answer and waited patiently for her to continue, she pressed close against his shoulder and whispered into his ear, "Do you... Do you think that the man... That he was maybe a Desian?"

"A... A Desian?" Zelos repeated stupidly, taking a few moments to digest her hesitant words. It made sense to him, oddly enough what she said, the exploits of the group had been made public knowledge quickly after the reunification. Before returning to the homes that beckoned them, they had all made one last effort to destroy the remaining Desian bases and disband the remaining groups. Despite their relative triumph, both he and Lloyd knew that it would only be a matter of time before they reorganized their efforts. "I... I didn't get to see his face... All I got was that note..."

"'We are coming'..." Colette murmured the message quietly, her eyes hardening a little as she thought of the assassin that had attempted, and mercifully failed in Seles' attack. The three words sent shivers of fear down her spine, though she had no clue to what it truly meant. Zelos, sensing her worry, pulled her closer into his chest, pressing his face tenderly against the top of her head in a gesture of comfort. "Zelos... What if 'we' tries again? They might kill you this time..."

"I won't let them kill me, or anyone else I care about. I'll kill them the exact same way I killed the first bastard who was stupid enough to hurt my sister." Zelos hissed fiercely, knowing that his bloodlust made her anxious, but he couldn't stop the dark feelings swirling around in his chest and in his mind. He gave little thought to his own safety, as was normal for him, and with a growl, he added quietly, "I'm not scared of this cult or whatever the hell they are... I'll kill them all before they hurt anyone else I love."

"If... If they attacked you... do you think that maybe Lloyd and Sheena are in danger too? Or everybody else? They could be targeting us as a whole." Colette mused aloud, her frown growing as she thought of the danger her dear friends could now be in. Another tremor shook through her body, and with a whisper that broke as her fear rose, "Everyone could be getting hurt right now, at this moment!"

Zelos found himself frowning too, not liking her fear or the worry that it instilled in him. It had been too long since he had any contact with much of the group, he couldn't remember the last time he had seen Lloyd or Sheena, let alone Genis and Presea. 'We've been separated for so long it's make it hard to get in touch with each other since we don't really know where anyone else is... They caught us while we're weak. Dammit... These can't just be regular Desians, if they are, they never functioned properly without real leaders and to tell them where to go and who to kill... Does that mean that they're trying to start it up again? For revenge for killing Yggdrasil...?' "Is this all... payback?"

"Revenge? But the Desians know what Mithos planned once he left them to go to Derris Kharlan... Why would they try to get revenge for him?" Colette asked in confusion, furrowing her eyebrows together as she tried to piece the puzzle into an answer. Many of the soldiers they had encountered at the abandoned facilities had become disillusioned with their master, even though they clung to their superiority. Only a spare handful of the Desians they had encountered still zealously clung to the long gone ideals of their master, declaring vengeance for his murder. "It doesn't make any sense..."

"The Grand Cardinals are all dead... Mithos is dead... The Seraphim are dead or gone too." Zelos mused quietly aloud, thinking deeply of the leagues of soldiers that had seemed honestly confused when their leaders disappeared. "They'd really need a new leader to tell them what to do in order to function... I guess some of the higher-up Desians could have managed all of that work in two years..." He frowned and glanced over at the fearful Colette, then said very quietly, "If what we're thinking is true, then we need to find everyone now and get them informed before something like this happens to them. We can't risk losing any of them to these bastards if they're back."

"Yes... Everyone is so... happy now." Colette murmured softly, closing her eyes tightly to let her memories flash back with even more power. She could see the smiling faces of her comrades during her rare sights of them, the tender devotion in her professor's eyes as she gently laid her hand on her new husband's arm, the timid blush on Genis' face while he shyly snuck glances over at the equally sheepish axeman, Lloyd's loud chuckles mingling with Sheena's laughter as they turned their backs on Iselia and began their second journey around the worlds... "I don't want to see their happiness destroyed, not when we worked so hard to get to where we are today."

Zelos looked over to see her biting her lower lip, a sure sign that she was growing nervous as she thought more about the strange new enemy that had shown its face from the shadows. He remembered with a pang when he had first met her, the deadened eyes and indifferent expression she had worn because her heart no longer existed inside of her body. There was such a violent contrast with that expression and the lively smile she wore now, it made him cold just thinking about it happening all over again. 'I don't wanna see that happen to her either. She's finally free of her Chosen duties and all of the pressure it puts on her has been lifted. She's a free woman now.'

He reached over to touch her shoulder, only to start when she bolted to her feet, eyes wide and full of shock. He didn't manage to react in time, as she bolted from his side and ran down the stairs, nearly tripping over herself twice in her haste to reach the doorway. "Wh-wha?!"

Colette didn't answer him, her heart pounding violently in her chest as her keen ears picked up the sound of ragged breathing and pained whimpers of a voice she knew extremely well. Her blood froze with dread as she all but pulled the ornate wooden doors free from their hinges to see if her fears would be confirmed. The angel's breath caught in her throat and her face paled when she saw who was standing at the doorway.

"Sheena!"

* * *

**Altamira**

**Lezareno Company**

Regal let out a quiet sigh, raising his left hand to cover his face as the casket of his old friend was lowered silently into the ground. No one spoke as the funeral hymn played, a masterfully done piece in the language of the angels, soft and lilting words that brought many of the employees of his company to tears. He however showed no emotion, as he had since the day he had gone into his office to discover the corpse there.

It had been a masterfully done job, even though rage had fuelled his head he knew well enough that the killer had been surprisingly artful, perhaps even merciless. George's neck had been sliced cleanly open, spilling his blood onto the floor, but according to a doctor, he had been unconscious at the time of the murder. He had never felt his life leave him, he had almost been sleeping when he had been killed.

He had missed the message the assassin had left for him the first time, so stunned by the scene of the murder that it was only when Raine quietly pointed it out to him did he actually see what had been the point of the death. In a script he didn't recognize, scrolled across the wood of his desk in George's blood, were three words that haunted him as much as it disgusted him. Only when Raine had translated it for him did he understand and it sent his own blood cold.

_We are coming._

He knew nothing of the message or what it was trying to convey, still reeling over the death of his trusted servant. Regal shook his head, angrily correcting himself as the workers began to shovel the wet earth onto the coffin that lay so snugly in the ground. 'Friend.' It was even raining, a subtle insulting touch on the funeral held outside of the company's ground. Unlike many others, the president held no umbrella, preferring to stand in the downpour and let the rain take place of tears that he still could not shed.

The office was pristine clean now, the desk replaced as if there had never been a death. Even though it had happened a mere three days ago, he still had yet to set foot inside of the building. Regal had silently done his work in the comfort of solitude, and though he knew she hurt over it, Raine had given him as much room as he needed, only speaking when he asked of her so not to hurt him any more than he was already. He was deeply grateful for this now, and he turned his head, searching to see where she was standing in hopes to having her beside him to ease the heartache.

He didn't have to look far, she only stood a short distance away under a dark umbrella. Unlike the other mourners who wore black, she had worn softer earthy tones, and admitted sheepishly to him that despite her half-elven heritage, she had felt it most proper to mourn in the true elvish form. She sensed his gaze and silently sidestepped over to his side, raising her arm slightly to keep him from the rain with her own umbrella, sliding her free hand into his. The silent contact was what he needed, and he accepted it gratefully.

The hymn reached its climax, the voices blending together as one in a chorus that both filled his chest and left him hallow at the same time. Then they died off, one by one, as soft and mournful as any words could be despite the language barrier. Slowly, almost hesitantly, the mourners left the grave, until it was only Regal and Raine standing beside the new headstone while the rain poured down in buckets.

He still hadn't spoken, and as much as it worried her, she understood the pain he was suffering through and though she longed to hear his voice and see the smile that she loved so, she made no attempt to bridge the gap. He would come to her once he was ready, and she had already decided to wait no matter how long that may or may not take him.

"It's... It's almost as if I'm living inside of a dream... No, inside of a nightmare." Regal's voice was tortured as he stared at the headstone, reading the engraved name but not really seeing it. The smell of fresh earth and rain seemed strangely bitter to him, and he knew it was because he couldn't lose the smell of the blood and dying flesh. "I almost can't actually believe that he's dead... It doesn't seem real. The facts have yet to truly sink into me."

"I don't think it has sunk into anyone." Raine murmured softly, knowing that her words were nothing but cheap sympathy and it only hurt him more than it helped. He still didn't look at her, gazing at the stone and the chiselled name on the face of it, a memory of a soul that had departed the world. Knowing better than to reach out and touch him as he was still mourning, she continued quietly, "It will take some time... for you and for everyone else. It... It is how it is."

"Yes... That is very true." Regal agreed, though his voice fell flat when he spoke, still not looking up from the grave. It still seemed like two seconds ago he was talking to the older man about the latest charitable outcomes from their latest venture in the area that had once been Sylvarant. It didn't seem real that the man was actually gone, and the idea still and probably always would send pangs of pain through his chest. "Who...?"

"I'm not sure." Raine's voice hardened almost in anger, the angel language that the words had been written in flashing in her mind even in the downpour. She knew without really knowing that the words had been left for her and not for her husband, as she was the only one on the island who had a grasp of the ancient language. The idea that someone had targeted both her and her husband only left her dreading what perils her brother might have been facing at the opposite end of the world at that moment. 'Dammit...' "It... It might be safe to assume that we are not the only ones who received this warning, seeing as it is written in the language of the angels. How many enemies do we have that are fluent in that language?"

"The Desians...?" Regal questioned in surprise, his eyes widening before his brow furrowed with both annoyance and anxiety. He remembered very well the misery the half-elven group had caused the world, though he knew better than to simply blame them when in all truths, the Desians were nothing but pawns to Cruxis. "Are they moving on their own? That seems highly unlikely..."

"Yes, it does." Raine agreed wearily, closing her eyes and running her free hand over her face in an attempt to clear her mind. Biting her lower lip, she looking into the rainy sky and let her brain run over the facts of the danger they might have been in. The many soldiers may have been passionately driven, but their skill is mobilization was almost laughable. "They may be many in number but their ability to work as a cohesive unit is frail at best... There has to be another organization pulling the strings, but I don't understand who could be using the Desians. Yggdrasil was killed..."

"Is it possible that a general decided to take control of the remaining forces to complete Yggdrasil's wishes?"

"I don't see why any general would bother... Martel's soul is lost, she became the guardian of the Great Tree... There's no hope for a revival."

Regal frowned, not liking where this conversation was going. Though the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit, he too had heard whispers of a dark group causing chaos in areas once famous for racism. His arms crossed tightly and he took in a deep breath of the cold wet air, muttering very quietly, "Would it also explain what is worrying you?"

Raine flinched then let out a deep breath of apology. She had known she wouldn't have been able to hide her growing unrest from him for too long, and her secret and fled the bag. Shuffling just a bit closer so that their shoulders brushed, she whispered to him softly, "The levels of mana have been off lately. The changes are violent, from surprisingly thick to painfully thin, as if we're constantly switching from the flourishing world to a declining one. At first I assumed it was the Tree attempting to adjust, but when it continued... I grew worried. In Genis' latest letter, he told me he was going to Heimdall to speak to the Elder in an attempt to find out more."

"Do you think there's an actual threat?"

"I don't know what to think to be very honest with you. At first I just hoped I was imagining it all, making something of nothing... But now I am not so sure of myself. It all seems so... backwards." Raine let out a soft sigh of defeat, hugging herself as if to ward off the feelings of failure and worry. 'Two years ago, we all had such a much brighter outlook on life coming home from that journey... We knew it would be difficult, but still we had hope... then this...? What in the world is happening to all of us?' Her frown grew more saddened, and she continued softly, "I'm sorry for hiding it from you, I shouldn't have done that..."

"No, I understand your reasoning, and the motive behind it. You were scared." Regal waved aside her apology simply, and for the first time in three days, his hand came down to touch her gently on the cheek. The touch, however simple, sent a rush of electricity through her skin and she found herself blushing as if it was the first time she had felt his skin on her own. It almost made him smile, remembering the first time he had dared to reach out and take her hand, a gesture of comfort after her first and last meeting with the woman who was her mother. She had reacted like this then too, turning crimson and focussing her eyes on something else, murmuring almost so softly that she might as well have not been speaking at all.

She recalled the newness as well, and her eyes closed for the longest time as his fingers spread to gently cup her face. It surprised her how much she had missed his touch, missed the warmth of his voice in the past three days, as if he had never existed. The death of their friend had hit them hard, but no one suffered more than the man she stood so proudly beside now. Opening her eyes, she gazed into the pained ones of her husband and forced her mouth to move and speak her words, "I love you, Regal Bryant. You remember the first time I told you those words?"

Regal smiled, he remembered this game rather well, as she was prone to bring it up whenever his mood began to dim. It worked surprisingly well, the way she would gently give him a nudge in the proper direction, allowing himself to be the one to cheer himself up instead of her doing it every single time. "Yes, I remember..."

The memory was clear as crystal. She had arrived unexpectedly with Genis to Altamira, and while the young mage was quick to take off somewhere with Presea, who had been visiting her sister's grave at the time, the professor had asked him softly if he would walk with her. On the beach, her hands folded and eyes averted as her moonlit skin turned pink, she'd uttered those five words to him. He could still hear the embarrassment and shyness in her voice, mixed in with a certain degree of hope that had finally melted down the last of his reserves. He'd returned those five words with four of his own before he'd held her tight in his now free arms, and she had stayed there, belonged there, ever since.

"I will ask you that every day if you need me to." Raine reminded him in a softly chiding voice, reaching out to place her hand on his cheek this time. She felt his skin twitch as he smiled, and she stepped close to him under the umbrella that shielded them from the rain. His strong arms dropped around her waist and pulled her close, and she whispered against the front of his shirt, "I love you..."

"As I love you, Mrs Raine Bryant... As I love you."

* * *

**The Far North**

He'd lost count of the time he'd been left alone in the cell, centuries seemed to have passed since the female angel so easily downed him and stole Sheena from him. His entire world, already so drastically shifted, had turned upside-down again, now leaving him without everything that had once made him what he was. He wasn't even tied back up to the wall, the angel had left him on the ground, knowing he had no strength to try to break for freedom.

Lloyd stared at the chains that had once held her prisoner, the cuffs were still wet and slick with her blood. He was almost overwhelmed with that profound sense of loss he'd felt when the angel had told her so coldly that she'd killed the ninja. Gone. He reached out numbly towards the bonds but his fingers refused instinctively to touch the metal, and he was sure it'd still be warm. 'Sheena... Why didn't you... Why didn't you just run away?'

He knew the answer already of course, as he had known when he'd yelled the order. She didn't have to tell him that she wouldn't leave him behind, the fact that she'd lasted this long was enough to let him know that she wasn't ever planning on leaving his side. That thought both warmed and chilled his blood at the same time, and through his grief he felt a pleasure that was almost as painful as the loss. 'She was always there. Always. And I... I was...'

"STUPID!" The word erupted from his throat in a strangled roar, and his fists hit the ground with such force that the skin of his hands broke and begun to bleed. The physical hurt didn't faze him, and he repeated the motion until his arms were simply too heavy to lift again. Bowing his body on the ground, his forehead pressed against the filthy floor and he felt hot tears falling from his eyes to splatter into the dust. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why was I so damn blind?! What the hell was WRONG with me?!"

"Would that happen to be a rhetorical question or do you actually want an answer?"

Lloyd was on his feet in a flash, even though his bruised and torn muscles shrieked in protest. The rigorous torture the enemy had put him under had fully taken its toll, and no amount of fury, grief or adrenalin would let him run free. Tasogare stood at the doorway, leaning casually on the closed iron door of the exit, her face hidden by the darkness. If she planned to kill him he wouldn't go down with a fight and that thought in his mind, his fists curled tightly and he stiffened for battle.

"I told you beforehand that I really do not wish to kill you." Tasogare almost sounded bored as she spoke to him, watching with ease and indifference as he glared hatefully at her. His offensive stance was one of a man with nothing to lose, and despite herself, the angel found a soft plume of respect beginning to grow in her chest. 'So intriguing...' Idly brushed her free hand through her hair as her right stayed calmly on the hilt of her sword, she commented, "So lose the attitude before I have no choice left to me. Come, you're being freed from the prison."

Lloyd didn't move even though the honey of her words almost made him lose his resolve. Freedom. It had been lifetimes ago since he had tasted fresh air. Looking at her eyes however, there was no truth to her words, she had no intention of freeing him. He stood his ground, and a part of his soul cried out in agony at the idea of leaving and staying. He had spent his last moments with Sheena in this cell, had watched with horror as she was taken away to die. His eyes spoke for him as he didn't know if he could even master words now.

Tasogare didn't answer him back in words, though her gaze responded. She may have as well spoken aloud, her eyes spoke a resounding no. Instead she looked towards the door that she stood in front of and murmured quietly, "Come with me Irving."

She had given him her back, and at one point he may have leapt for her throat, desperate to kill her and have his revenge. Now however, his feet had turned to lead and he followed her numbly outside of the cell, body now moving on its own stiff and robotic. The brightness of the outside hall nearly blinded him when he stepped into it, and he absently reminded himself that each time he'd been removed from the prison he had been blindfolded or drugged.

Soldiers paused as they walked on through the hallways, casting surprised and suspicious looks at him as he followed slowly behind his captor. She resolutely ignored these stares, as if it was normal to her, and continued to walk through the brightly lit compound. Her pace was surprisingly comfortable as if she was being slow to purposefully save him of the pain in his muscles, and despite himself, he asked her hoarsely, "Where are you taking me?"

"You're familiar with refreshers, correct?" Tasogare ignored his question and continued walking, and his grunt of assent allowed her to continue the pace.

Lloyd didn't respond to this, though his body instinctively perked up at the idea of healing. The refreshers in the Desian facilities had always pricked his curiosity, though Raine had always viewed them with heavy suspicion. Only once had they allowed themselves to use them, and despite the fact that they worked to all expectations, the group had been too weary to risk their luck again. However his curiosity had been piqued and he couldn't help but question aloud again, "Why... Why are you going to heal me?"

"Why knock a miracle?" Tasogare once again answered his question with one of her own, leading him further into the base around him. When they finally reached the end of the long hall, she typed in a quick code into the keypad and the doors swung open with a soft whooshing noise. She turned to him and gestured once into the room, face blank and posture professional.

A strange greenish glow emanated from a cube-like structure in the middle of the room, casting a sickening light around the small room. Two cloaked figures stood on either side of the cube, and an slice of green light indicated an opening in the square. Knowing that he was to enter, he didn't look to Tasogare and merely walked himself into the cube and let the door slide shut behind him.

Almost immediately a green haze filled the small space, and he could feel the charges of mana sliding playfully into his body, healing his wounds and replacing his lost blood. He didn't allow himself to sigh with relief as the pain slid away, instead his eyes closed tightly against a fresh wave of tears. Even his professor's healing was not as complete as the machine's, as his body would still have felt the pain of his healed wounds for a few days afterwards, the machine however simply cleansed all of him in one sure shot. 'Sheena... You can't be healed...' He grit his teeth and remained as still as possible while the gears whirred around him, blocking out the sound of his hoarse sobs as the reality struck down on him again. 'Dammit, dammit, dammit!'

Tasogare watched the process with silent interest, and she folded her arms securely around her middle as she watched his profile jerk and shake with what she knew were sobs. 'He still mourns for her... I wonder if it's regret or true pain he feels for her loss...?' Only a few minutes passed before the haze dissipated, and the fully healed swordsman was stepping from the refresher. Her body tensed as she watched him look her over, now feeling renewed strength and vigour in his muscles and they both knew that he was very well capable of attempting an escape now. When she looked at him however, the deadened expression in his eyes had yet to disappear and her anxiety vanished as quickly at it had come. 'He truly does look like the angel did so many years ago... It's almost like a mirror.'

Lloyd watched her wearily, and despite the renewed life in him he made no moves to attack or escape. It almost felt useless to try, especially when he watched her watching him so casually. He knew that she was capable and well prepared to take care of him if he dared to make any attempt. Instead of acknowledging his new strength and making a break for freedom, he looked the angel straight in the face and asked her quietly, "Why are you doing this? What do you want with me?"

Tasogare's eyes flickered, as if she was seriously debating on giving him the answer he was looking for. Instead of speaking however, she waved her left hand in a dismissive gesture, and the two soldiers at the refresher made a hasty exit. The moment they left, she crossed her arms and looked at him searchingly, questioningly, then spoke in a surprisingly level tone. "You haven't made a move to escape, to fight back, so unlike your previous behaviour when the girl was with you. You were entirely ready to die in her place when she stayed by your side, but now that she's gone it's almost as if the life's drained completely out of you. You really were in love with her, weren't you?"

"Shut up. Don't talk about her!" Lloyd snarled, feeling the all-too familiar rage beginning to bubble in his chest again. It had been extremely difficult to keep a hold on the anger, and only his weakness had stopped him from all but killing himself in an attempt to shut up the angel who stood spoke so callously. Now however, his health had returned and though he had no weapons, his rage was beckoning him to at least attempt to seize revenge.

"What will you do to me?" Tasogare challenged him quietly, her eyes glinting like golden steel as she stared him down. His expression was one of violence and though she knew he could inflict damage, he was weaponless and it gave her the significant advantage. Waving a hand at the empty room, she continued very sharply, "Even if, supposing on a miracle, you do kill me, what will you do next? You won't make it very far in this facility, and even supposing that you manage to do _that_, there's nowhere for you to go."

"I'll still kill you." Lloyd snarled, hating himself for uttering the threat while he stood there motionless. It seemed impossible to lift his feet, to move his hands and reach for the angel's throat, and his self-loathing grew by the second. It was so much more than a simple want, it was almost becoming a need, to watch her eyes roll back in her head and her body to stop moving as he strangled the last bit of air from her throat... "I'll kill you and make you pay for taking Sheena away from me!"

"I'll be waiting for that day, Irving." Tasogare repeated the words she had spoken to him the first time he'd uttered the threat, and the sincerity in her voice rang true both times. Now however, she looked back at the closed door she stood in front of, and said quietly, "But for now, you'll need to hold off on that thirst for vengeance and follow me like the prisoner you still remain."

She yet again gave him her back, proving her power and her arrogance. It was painful for him to shut off his heart and follow her, to deny the bloodlust that was practically radiating from ever pore in his body. He had never felt so violent in his life, the urge to kill was almost impossible to ignore but somehow he managed it, somehow he didn't attack her as she walked so calmly ahead of him. He wasn't even sure why exactly he was bothering to follow her, there was strange curiosity in him that demanded answers from her already strange behaviour. 'What could they want with me...?'

She had never answered him before, and the question sprung to the front of his mind again, giving him a chance to block the haze of rage that settled so patiently in his head. It was almost living, this strange and fearsome wrath, as if it was capable of waiting for its chance to be unleashed, to kill the source of his anguish. Taking advantage of its patience, he held on tightly to his thoughts and asked her hoarsely, "Why didn't you kill me along with..."

Tasogare noticed he couldn't finish his sentence, his voice cracked audibly before he even had a chance to say the beginning of the ninja's name. It honestly puzzled her, his awkwardness with the truth that seemed so bright in her thoughts. He had loved her, she had loved him, there was nothing in between of those facts. It fed into her own wonder, and for this sensation that she had not felt for almost centuries, she decided to give him an answer. "You have your uses, and because she was a hindrance as long as you were together, it was imperative to dispose of one of the two of you. As our master wanted to deal with you specifically, the facts were certain and so the disposal was carried out. Simple logic and fact. As long as you and her were together, you would simply be too headstrong to ever weaken enough. Our master knew you would be too wracked with guilt and anguish to ever truly be able to go on a rampage, another reason we kept you instead."

"Sheena would have died fighting you." Lloyd whispered, her words oddly making sense in his tired and fevered brain. He could see it, she had proved it many times before that she had no desire to die peacefully at the hands of her enemy, that had never been her way. She had proved it in her final moments, refusing to leave him behind, preferring to die with him than to live away from him. He was astounded by the differences in their actions, she had been so much stronger than he had been, then he was now. 'I... I fled when she told me to, at the Tower... I just turned my back on her and ran off to get to Colette... but she... she stayed. She stayed with me.' "She..."

"She embodied the word 'warrior'." Tasogare finished for him with a small smile, turning her head to look back at the stunned teenager. This time, she did turn around to look at him fully, and her expression was almost one of grudging approval as she spoke of the ninja she had so calmly gotten rid of on order. "She would have fought until the last breath of air left her lungs, because unlike you, she knew her emotions and was willing to die for them even if she never confessed. She was a warrior in both heart and mind, and even if you do not believe me, I have great respect for those who cling so wholeheartedly to their ideals and desires. I truly am sorry to have to rob you of a comrade who loved you more than her own life. Your lust for vengeance is justified, and all truths be told, I'd be more than happy to allow you to kill me, but that is simply something I cannot do. So I'll request for you to be patient until that day can come, and perhaps then I'll give you my back for the last time."

Lloyd blinked several times, completely caught off guard by the rapid change in her personality. Her face was still cold, oddly indifferent, but there was a sincerity in her words that simply couldn't be hidden. Though she didn't sound the least bit contrite for what she had done, she uttered an apology anyway. 'What the hell is this woman?' While he stood there, completely confused, she turned around and continued to walk and he robotically followed her lead down the long hall.

'Why would she bother to say sorry...? Why would she even bother to look at me when she said that? It's nothing like how she acted when she watched us get tortured... Who the hell is this woman? What does she want with me?'

"It's time you meet our master." Tasogare's voice had again returned to the calm and completely stone tone that he was quickly growing used to. She stood in front of two heavily ornate doors and her back turned to him so he couldn't see her distaste. A simple touch to the doors caused them both to swing open, and she stepped aside to allow Lloyd entry before her.

Lloyd wasn't entirely sure what he was expecting as he entered the dark room though he was sure it wasn't anything like what he saw now. The throne room was dark but mightily decorated, with treasures of all sorts and shapes strewn about the tiled floor. He could almost hear his professor's voice gasping in delight behind him, so amazed by the relics. However his attention was diverted, staring straight ahead at the large chair at the end of the room, glowing a strange golden colour while it remained completely empty on top of a summit.

He was surprised when Tasogare knelt to one knee, her head bowed in a sign of respect though her face was hidden by her long hair. He didn't move but merely stared, half expecting some grand figure to appear from the shadows, to speak in a booming voice and reveal a hulking figure that bespoke intimidation. There was no voice however, but almost a hissing noise of approval came from the peak, disembodied and sending chills of anxiety through Lloyd's body. "Wh-Wha...?"

The hissing grew in volume, and Lloyd jerked back, looking around for the source of the noise. It came from everywhere yet nowhere all at once, and like a magnet compelled him, he gazed back at the throne. A glint of red sparkled against the golden chair, and his blood turned to ice as he recognized the fragments of crystal floating on top of a cushion. Almost immediately, his mind made the connection that his heart argued with, sending him into spasms of fear, disbelief and shock. "No... No, no... You can't be alive, you can't be...! We... I... I killed you!"

"_Correct... You did indeed kill me, Lloyd Irving..._" The voice whispered like a purr in his head, and Lloyd drew back in alarm, raising a hand to touch his skull as if he could reach into his head to pull it from him. The action elicited a strange chuckle that he knew all too well, and it froze him to the ground. "_Yet I still live. Somehow my Cruxis Crystal was not destroyed when you struck me down, when my mana was released to aid the Giant Tree I came alive again..."_

"No, this isn't real, this has got to be some trick! You're dead!"

"_No Lloyd Irving... I am very much alive. I, Lord Mithos Yggdrasil, am alive and it is all thanks to you._"

**AN**

**.... Kill me for the crap I send upon you because I am the most awesome of giving my readers fail to read. (Now looks for a rock to crawl under) I hate myself so much right now... I am so sad.**

**Maurice A Nigma:**** Yeah I took your advice and came up with hell to give back to you, so I feel like I owe you a huge apology. Gah, I hope you can forgive me and still stick around to read what's left, I swear it doesn't stay like this forever... I promise. T.T**

**Sychotic:**** You might wanna take that "favourite author" back, lol, I'm no good. Sorry that I failed to deliver here, I will attempt very hard to make the next chapter more a worthy one, I swear!**

**Sky**


	5. Deadly Delivery

**Gaoracchia Forest**

**A Few Days Later**

Presea nipped her lower lip as she leaned over the wild growth of flowers beside her father's grave, making a quiet but affectionate fuss over the blooming buds. She knew it was rather frivolous to return to Ozette before heading to Altamira to see the wedded Bryants, but a strange yearning had taken a hold of her while they flew over the thick forest below. It had surprised her then, when Genis gently asked if she wanted to return to the village for a night's rest before continuing onto the island resort. Sheepishly, she had accepted the offer and was almost overwhelmed with the delight of being back home.

'Daddy, I know I should be more concerned with going straight to both Regal and Professor Raine, but I didn't want to be away from home for very long... Is that selfish of me...?' Presea shook her head a bit at her childish musing, gently stroking her fingertips over the fragile petals of the flowers. 'I think being with him has softened me... I never felt so warm before...'

She didn't know what made her look up, perhaps it was her instincts warning her to never lose caution even in the safety of her own home. She looked up anyway and it saved her life, an arrow zipped by her head and bounced harmlessly off of her father's headstone. In seconds she was on her feet, Gaia Cleaver held in hand and eyes narrowing with violence as she faced the woods where the surprise attack had come from. Her voice rough, she ordered loudly, "Show yourselves, cowards!"

"You've got some nerve calling _us_ cowards, lumberjack." A deep voice called out tauntingly, and Presea angled her body so she was better facing the direction of the comment. The shadow hid him for a long moment, then the olive-haired man came striding casually from the depths of Gaoracchia forest, his smile large and almost friendly, but his eyes betrayed his contempt. He swung his arms open wide, inviting yet deadly, and smiled brightly at her, "After all, I came out to meet you, didn't I? That's not a polite way to treat guests."

Presea ignored the barbs, searching him carefully and the group of men that had followed him from the shadows. They stood a healthy distance behind the young man, and while their weapons and armour looked worn and rusted with age and many had scars to credit their experience he, save for a strange scar on his cheek, was unblemished. She knew immediately that what she was facing could very well be beyond her calibre, but she made no moves to retreat or advance, merely watched with cold eyes as he watched her. 'Genis... Where are you?'

"Presea Combatir, right?" His voice had dropped to a seductive hiss, and he tilted his head ever so slightly as if to get a better look at her. She raised her axe instinctively over her heart, and that seemed to amuse her enemy and his built body began to tremble with amusement. With a gloved hand, he waved off the men behind him and took a lazy step forwards, and Presea's eyes flashed as she took notice of the large broadsword strapped to his back. He smiled again, though this time there was no false kindness in his eyes and he gestured to the silver chain mail he wore under his dark shirt and the emblem that shone brightly on his wristband, "So you noticed I'm no ordinary soldier, good for you. I heard a lot about you and your friends, I didn't expect _the_ Presea Combatir to be a little kid, that's sorta anticlimactic."

Again, Presea kept her silence even as small flares of anger began to spout in her chest at his subtle insults. She knew that the man was trying to provoke her, so she ignored the insults and took a cleansing breath to calm her mind. Though she had nowhere near the attunement to mana that her companion had, her instincts made up for it and warned her of the strength in those arms that looked so gentle as he held them out as if to embrace, or capture. With some effort, she kept her voice as level as possible all while keeping her back to the headstone and surveying the surrounding area in case a battle broke out, "Who are you and what do you desire with me?"

"Straight to the point, huh?" He smiled again, revealing sharpened eyeteeth that Presea knew instinctively had been filed down for appearances. His gaze became more weary, yet there was a new glint in his jade-coloured eyes as he examined her from head to toe. He almost seemed to lick his lips as he studied her, and his left hand moved casually over his shoulder, gripping the handle of his sword. His voice again dropped into that hypnotic hiss as he muttered, "You don't look like much but I really do think you'll live up to your name. You look feisty, my favourite type of woman to fight with. You'll put up a good fight with me, won't you?"

Something in his eyes or maybe his tone sent a flood of unease through her body, and she swallowed the growing nausea in her throat. He was looking at her like a thirsting man may look at a glass of water, and it made her nervous to have this soulless creature staring at her with eyes full of lust. Fighting to keep her fear under control, she snarled, "Answer my questions!"

"Fine, fine, fine... My name is Auin, but I don't expect you to remember that..." Auin replied, his smile malicious and eyes dancing with a hunger that only left her more weary than she had been before. Knowing full well that he was intimidating her with the looks, he continued with a careless wave of his free hand, "As for what I want from you, that's easy. I just came to deliver a message from my master."

"The message is get the hell out of here!" Genis' voice rang out rather loudly over the silent area, cutting Auin off harshly as thunder crackled from a lightning-based attack that slammed only a foot from the angel's feet. Nimbly, the half-elf jumped from his vantage point at the top of the hill, landing squarely between Presea and the man. Eyes flashing with violence, he raised his kendama protectively in front of his chest, the weapon still glowing a faint purple colour as electricity crackled in the air. His eyes narrowed as he tasted the flavour of the newcomer's mana, and then widened in alarm, his stance dropping for a moment as he questioned aloud, "Half-elves? You're all half-elves?"

"Desians you traitorous brat, and never forget it."

Auin raised his free hand swiftly, cutting off the soldier behind him rudely, but the man fell silent anyway as soon as the angel raised his hand. Not even looking back at the aforementioned soldier, a plume of red-hot flame burst from his hand and slammed directly into the body of the speaker.

The Desian shrieked in agony and the surrounding soldiers all but ran from him as he fell to the ground, thrashing wildly in a vain effort to get the mana-charged fire off of him. It only lasted a few moments, but those moments were strewn with screams of pain and terror, and when the screams faded to sobs then finally to silence, the glade became as still as the death that had so quickly taken the soldier.

Through this, Auin's smile remained firmly in place, though there was a new cold tinge to it as he faced the stunned twosome that stood in front of him. Point made and voice subtly mocking, he explained with a mild shrug, "Sorry about him, it's so hard to find mute minions these days, they never shut up and keep their place, y'know?"

"You..." Presea faltered, abruptly overwhelmed with a sickening feeling clenching in her gut. She could see it clearly, a fatally wounded Pronyma crawling to the adult-sized Mithos and begging helplessly for his aid. Mithos had struck her down in that same fashion, without care or cause, not even turning his head to watch her die from his lethal blow. Her mouth felt dry as she stared helplessly at the still-smoking corpse of the soldier. 'He...'

"He's an angel." Genis wasn't sure exactly what caused him to say this, but when Auin blinked, his facade dropping to reveal surprise, the young mage gripped his kendama all the tighter. Teeth gritting tightly, he maintained his protective stance in front of Presea and challenged him angrily, "What do you want with us?"

"Like I said before you interrupted me, we're just here to deliver a message." Auin repeated pleasantly, though his eyes all but glistened with icy hatred. He watched Genis move very slowly to better angle himself between the soldiers and the axeman, his stance protective and threatening all at the same time. He smiled brightly, the gesture clearly threatening violence while he watched his enemy watching him. "My master sent us to make sure it got directly to you after all..."

"Then give us the message and get out of here." Genis snapped, well aware of Presea angling to be at his side instead of behind him, ready to give battle if the troop made a move. The man at the front seemed content to continue smiling, and his cold violence both annoyed im and set fear inside the young magic user's chest. "Well!?"

"The message from my master is, 'We are coming.', my young half-elf brethren..." Auin replied calmly, his voice sinking down into a low purr as his right hand dropped from his blade, this time extending out towards the duo who stood ready for him. His left hand glowed a strange green colour, and his smile twisted into a sneer as he whispered, "and we are here! _Gentle winds, gather before me and transform into blades of air_..."

"GET DOWN!" Genis yelled, his voice cracking with fear as he recognized the spell that Auin was chanting. He didn't even think twice, grabbing Presea roughly by the arm and shoving her to her knees, gritting his teeth as he held onto his kendama with both hands and willed his mana to take a physical shape. His shield sprang from his hands and formed a perfect semicircle above and around him and Presea.

A split second afterward, the gentle breeze had transformed into a raging twister of air that shrieked as it touched the ground and completely enveloped the shielded area that Genis and Presea occupied. Auin laughed loudly from where he stood, taking several steps backwards to ensure his own safety as the twister he created tore angrily at the shielded duo. His voice mocking as he called out to them, he had to shout to be heard over the wind, "You may be a master of mana here kid, but I've been around for ten centuries! You can't hold your shield forever! When you let up, I'll drop the twister, kill the both of you and bring your worthless corpses to my master! You're both gonna die!"

"Dammit..." Genis hissed through grit teeth, forcing his concentration into his shield even as the wind and Auin's manic cries of laughter pierced at his ears. He could hear Presea all but growling in annoyance behind his feet, and his heart gave a quick but a fierce throb of agony. Swearing under his breath as he maintained the shield against the fierce wind that threatened to shred them to ribbons, he whispered to Presea, "He's right, I can't hold this forever... You're gonna have to run when I drop the shield!"

"Wh-What?" Presea gasped, struck dumb by the simple order and the fervour that held his voice when he uttered it. She could only see his back, the shell of flickering emerald mana tightening until she didn't dare move for breaking what kept them so safe. Forcing herself to remain calm, she hissed quietly, glad that the shrieks of the wind were muted by Genis' mana, "What do you mean, 'run', Genis? Leave you behind? I can't do that!"

"We don't have time to argue about this!" Genis snapped angrily, wishing that he could force the conviction he wanted to have into his voice. His anger had fallen flat, and he groaned inwardly at the painful burn in his arms as he poured his mana into the shield. 'I've never held it for this long... Dammit, dammit...' Forcing his head to cool, he stored what little dredges of mana he knew he could save, and channelled the rest into a slow drain to keep the shield intact. "My shield is going to break and when it does, run for the woods! Get as deep as you can and go to Mizuho, have them hide you until they've gone!"

"I _won't_ leave you behind!" Presea repeated just as fiercely as he had, her heart racing in her chest as she imagined making a run for the woods, leaving her exhausted protector to the mercy of their enemies. Shaking her head angrily, she reached for the handle of her axe and snarled at his back, "I refuse! I'll fight at your side and I will not leave!"

His heart warmed with those words, against the fear that filled his chest and strangled at him. He treasured her stubbornness even though part of him wanted to slap her for failing to see where that stubbornness would bring her. Knowing that his distraction could very well lead to the death of them both, he gritted his teeth and focussed on keeping his mana intact, hissing, "Presea, stop being stupid and listen to me! We're dealing with something bigger than us and someone needs to get the word out to our friends! I won't be able to run after this, you have to go to Mizuho and make sure that Sheena and Lloyd find out about this, then everyone else! As soon as the shield breaks, you have to run!"

Presea cringed, her logic had already told her all of this but somehow it didn't really matter to her. She knew that her enemies had no mercy. The leader had already shown this to them. He would die if she left him, and the idea chilled her down to her very core. It wasn't a simple want to keep him alive, it had almost become a need when she was faced with this horrible truth. 'I... but... Like Daddy, like Alicia... He will disappear...' "Genis, I..."

"It's alright." Genis wasn't even sure where the words were coming from, they sounded oddly foreign as he spoke them and forced a new warmth and confidence into his voice. He knew his lie wouldn't fool the girl behind him, she had an odd way of being able to tell whenever his honesty faltered. Still, he forced himself to speak in a way that his old friend did, cheerfully and recklessly. "I won't die Presea, but that doesn't matter. Don't worry about me and make sure that everybody knows about them the second you can. That's more important, alright?"

"Genis–" Presea whispered softly, reaching for him before the wind died suddenly and all fell silent. A new wave of horror broke over her, and her eyes looked up to see a black mass forming over the shield, pointed directly at the young boy who stood between her and this new evil. Her heart stopped abruptly in her chest, and her feet melted into the ground. 'No!'

The black aura sharpened and became tangible, and Genis knew what it was without even knowing. 'Bloody Lance.' His mind told him numbly, and though he knew it was uselessly, he stood taller, firmer between the new attack and the girl behind him. The dark energy screamed in the air, and the tip of the lance smashed through the top of his already fragile shield, sending the sparks of mana flying every which way as it dispersed and left them vulnerable.

Genis didn't even have time to blink, the energy slammed through his broken mana and pierced directly through his chest, sending him flying backwards onto the ground. The force of the strike blew Presea a few feet backwards, but Genis had no such luck. Though the thick energy only lasted for a moment, Genis looked up wearily to see a long black lance sticking through his chest, pinning him to the ground as blood began to flow from the wound that went right through him. He heard Presea cry out from behind him, and his fear evaporated as quickly as it had come. 'Good... She's safe.'

Auin grinned and took a step forward as he watched the half-elf's body twitch with agony as his spear dissipated but the wound remained. The tiny axeman looked dazed from the blow and was having trouble getting to her feet and he took this moment to raise his hand and summon his mana into a red ball of flame, ready and eager to strike the finishing blow to the stunned twosome. "Find your delights in hell!"

Presea, having seen this all from where she stood, didn't even think as she got to her feet and all but threw herself on top of the young mage who had given up his body so willingly to be her shield. She closed her eyes tightly and buried her face against the bloody wound in his chest, waiting in terror for the pain that would end her life but hopefully not his. 'I'm sorry Genis, I'm so sorry!'

The blast never came, but Presea didn't move, too terrified to see what had delayed her death. Then she heard the outraged hiss from her captor, and finally she lifted her head, curious and worried. Another figure, thinner and slightly smaller than Auin stood between them, her hand wrapped tightly, threateningly, around his glowing wrist. The axeman could only see her back and the long flowing chestnut hair that was streaked with wild emerald lines, her voice however was fierce yet cold, betraying no hints of protectiveness for the two children she stood in front of.

"You know full well that our lord wants them both alive, Auin. If you kill them, your life is forfeit." The angel reminded him warningly, her hand tightening into the bones in the angel's wrist creaked ominously. Honeyed eyes flashing with defiance, she stood fully and added sharply, "Do you seriously think he'd even consider using your body as a vessel if you deny him of his vengeance? Use your head!"

Auin's eyes narrowed fiercely, and his left hand closed around _her_ wrist this time and squeezed threateningly. She didn't wince but her eyes did narrow, telling him without words that she would begin a fight if he refused to withdraw. He spat at her feet and released her, yanking his hand from her grip and cursing, "Stop getting in my way Tasogare, it's tiring me. I did my duty and delivered the message, so what if one of the brats dies in the process?"

"Follow your orders or I'll have to do my duty and kill you for rebelling." Tasogare seemed to savour these words as she spoke them, eyes flashing bloodlust as she stared him down. He glared back at her for a long moment, then turned his back and vanished into the woods, the soldiers who had accompanied him quickly following suit. She waited until she could no longer sense their power before she turned halfway to watch as the young girl knelt over the mage, sobbing softly with an agony that the angel almost, but not quite, understood.

He was staring up at her, soulful blue eyes full of pain and fear even as she gripped at his hand and knelt beside him. Her sobs shook her entire body, and even though she knew that it must have killed him, he reached up to try and brush the tears on her cheeks away. Blood pooled from the gaping wound in his chest, soaking her skirt and knees but she didn't care, she couldn't look away from the horribly pale face of the boy who'd made her days, made her _life_ liveable again.

"Pre...sea..." Genis' voice was so distant, he felt as though he was trying to speak through a mouthful of sludge. Her eyes, so bright and full of tears were the only things he could see as blackness chewed holes in his vision. He clung desperately onto that sight and tried to touch her face again but his hand fell uselessly to his side. He almost laughed at his weakness while his fingers and toes grew icy. 'So this is death...?'

"No, no, don't!" Presea gasped as he gagged up blood, ignoring the fact that she had a spectator to this heart-wrenching scene. She didn't think twice of rubbing the liquid from his lips with her fingers, even as her own mouth trembled with agony. She had never felt a pain this intense before, her entire body was set aflame and being torn to shreds all at once. He was still staring at her, and she could see the apology and affection that he reserved for her, always for her. Groaning with pain that this sight gave her, she bowed her head until it touched his bloodied chest and whimpered through her grit teeth, "No Genis, you can't, you can't! Don't disappear, don't leave me alone! Please, please don't leave me alone!"

"Presea... I'm..." He whispered softly, his hand touching the back of her hand as he tried to continue to speak, but his mouth went slack and he could no longer find the words that evaded his reach. He trembled, just one single shake underneath her and she pulled away, face a picture of sheer horror. She'd jerked away at just the wrong moment, in time to see his apologetic smile fall from his face and his eyes close while his hand slid silently to the ground. Now she felt a pain she had never experienced before, her heart and mind exploded together with a blinding blast of agony and denial as air rushed through her throat and gave form to a scream that lamented everything words could not express.

"GENIS!"

Tasogare let out a very soft sigh as she watched the girl collapse onto the still boy's chest, sobbing uselessly into the front of his bloodied shirt. She clung to him as if she could keep his heart beating, and slowly the angel walked towards them. The sound of her footsteps on the ground snapped the girl from her daze, and she was on her feet and brandishing her axe with the expression of a deranged animal that was willing to die fighting.

"Stay away from him!" Presea all but shrieked, placing herself protectively in front of Genis' form, holding her axe and stiffening her limbs for a rush that would very well rob her of her life. She couldn't think clearly through the haze of rage and loss, all she saw was a creature that embodied her worst nightmares, death was almost a welcome sight in the midst of her horror. "I'll kill you if you touch him!"

"Peace, he isn't dead yet. He's still breathing." Tasogare spoke rather gently, knowing that no annoyance or condescension would help her. She raised her hands in front of her, a gesture of peace, but she held her ground, knowing that if she made a sudden movement, the girl would indeed try to kill her. "Look."

Presea faltered and her eyes, still overflowing with tears, looking back at the painfully still form of the mage. His chest was indeed rising and falling, though the movements were minute and jerky. She glanced back at the still angel, and for once read the strange kindness in her honey-coloured eyes. Quietly, almost fearfully, she looked at the angel's gloved hands and asked her, "Can you... help him?"

"I cannot resurrect the dead, but I can stop the bleeding. You will need a more proficient healer than myself to truly heal him, but I can help him cling to life." Tasogare amended softly, waiting patiently for Presea to make her decision. She was surprised to see the girl drop her axe and flee back to his side, whimpering and shaking with sobs that seemed too real. Quickly, yet with purpose, Tasogare used her teeth to strip her hands of her fingerless gloves, and knelt on the opposite side of the boy's body. Crossing her hands and laying them hesitantly over the large wound, she whispered a foreign word as her hands began to glow with a white light.

Presea bit her lower lip so hard she began to bleed, watching intensely as the wet blood began to dry, and the torn skin began to stretch, melting into the other side of his wound and beginning to stitch itself together. A new bright pink patch of skin closed over the wound and the blood dried, and finally the angel lifted her hands from him and stood up, a tiny droplet of blood trickling down from the corner of her own mouth. Eyes wide as she watched Genis' breathing finally settle, she looked up at the still woman and whispered, "You saved him... Why...?"

"Our master desires the lives of both of you, if the idiot had of killed either of you, it would've ruined his plans. To keep the half-elf alive was to coincide with our lord's wishes." Tasogare answered rather robotically, her eyes once again betraying no emotion. Casually she brushed the blood from her lips away and pulled her gloves back on, one hand resting casually on her stomach. Turning her back on them she made for the woods and called over her shoulder, "Take him to a healer, most preferably his elder sister, she should manage to bring him back to full strength."

"Wait!" Presea didn't know why she called out to the angel, but she did anyway, not daring to leave her hands from Genis'. The woman stopped, didn't turn around but her head did tilt just a little to show that she was listening. Abruptly glad, the tiny axeman whispered softly, voice full of gratitude, "Thank you... even if you do mean to kill us both, thank you for saving him."

"I deserve no thanks."

* * *

**Meltokio**

Colette let out a soft sigh, brushing the back of her hand against her forehead to remove the sweat that had gathered there and wet her bangs as she busied herself with changing the bandages. The first time she had done so, she hadn't been able to complete the task, the sight of the wounds and the blood had been too much and she'd fled the room to be violently ill outside. Zelos had taken over the charge for the next few hours, but Colette had refused to let him take all the work and quickly steeled herself to attend to the ninja.

Now, however, she almost regretted this. Sheena had yet to wake up, though she'd been in their care for nearly five days. Her body was horribly tattered, almost every bone in her body had been broken and scores of gashes, bruises and tears had all but covered her once creamy flesh. Silently, she tightened the bandage around Sheena's ripped forearm, wincing when the girl gave a whimper of pain at the action.

"I'm sorry Sheena... I know it hurts." Colette murmured to her friend, laying her hand fondly against the girl's forehead, careful to not agitate her bruised skin during the action. She found it oddly comforting to speak to the unconscious summoner, as if she was sure she could hear her and also draw a little pleasure from the action. Even though she slept, her dreams seemed to ail her and Colette had made it a duty to sing soft lullabies that she had heard when she was young in hopes of easing Sheena from the painful thoughts. "You'll be okay, Zelos is coming back to heal you again soon, he'll make sure you stop hurting really fast."

Sheena didn't answer but her eyes closed even tighter and she winced as her dream grew more painful, lightly turning her head from side to side. A light moan left her lips, and she shivered in pain and cold, whispering brokenly, "Lloyd.."

Colette pinked just a bit, and instinctively turned her head as Sheena moaned the swordsman's name again, blissfully ignorant to her friend. When Colette was sure that Sheena had slipped back into unconsciousness, she returned to brushed the sweat from her brow, murmuring to herself, "You really are in love with him, aren't you Sheena...? I knew that a long time ago..." Smiling bitterly to herself, she leaned in close and whispered into her friend's ear, "Can I tell you a secret? I... I used to be jealous of you, when we were journeying together..."

Her face reddened as she allowed her words to slip from her mouth, and the tiny angel quickly glanced around to make sure she was alone in the room. Seles was sleeping peacefully in the room next door, and unlike Sheena she had woken several times since her own accident, but always managed to retain her shy and good spirits despite her pain. When she could, the younger Wilder would attempt to aid Colette and her brother in the treatment of Sheena, though she would mutter uncouth words under her breath while she did so.

Swallowing quickly and shaking her head a few times to bring herself back to the task at hand, Colette continued to have her one-sided conversation with the unconscious summoner. Her voice rather light even as her insides boiled with pain and sadness, she murmured, "I always knew that Lloyd saw you differently, you were a real girl to him, not like me. We were really close, but we just didn't have the same thing that you two did. I... I resented you for it, I think... somewhere deep in me, I was mad that you took him away from me..." Colette grimaced when she realized that angry tears were forming in her eyes, and she chastised herself severely, "But you made him happy Sheena, really happy! When I realized that at Flanoir, I couldn't stay mad at you anymore, I stopped pitying myself and I knew that I could be happy for you to make him smile like you did! You understood that too, I know you did! You were... such a good friend to me..."

Biting her lower lip, Colette looked at the sleeping face of her comrade and allowed a few tears to find their way free of her eyes and trickle down her cheek. Gently, fearfully, she touched her friend's cheek and murmured, "You were the first friend I ever had Sheena. You weren't like Lloyd or Genis, you treated me like a girl, someone different from the 'Chosen'... I was so happy to meet you... So... So... I'm really happy that you and Lloyd fell in love, I am, really. I'm glad that you got me to see that he was like my brother and not something else, because you let me see that..."

Her voice dropped off, and Colette was suddenly hyper-aware of where she was and how red her face was becoming as she continued to spill her darkest secrets to a woman who couldn't even hear her confessions. Laughing softly between her broken sobs, she reached up to brush her tears away and murmured softly, "I don't know anymore Sheena... I wish you were awake to help me like you were before... I could tell you anything, remember at the royal party I felt so out of place and you told me that I looked so cute not to bother with how anyone else thought? You even gave me the courage to dance with Zelos there! So... please don't go away Sheena... Please wake up soon... I wouldn't be able to bear it if you died... You're my best friend..."

Sniffling, Colette giggled at herself when she looked at the unaware expression on her sleeping friend's face, and hastily dried her own on the back of her sleeve. "Yeesh... I'm so silly... You're so hurt and I'm sobbing over you like my problems are worse... I'm sorry Sheena, I'll be stronger like you are. You'd want that, right?"

Colette purposefully finished with her bandaging, and was somewhat glad to see that the older ones she had swapped out were less bloody than before. Though she knew that the young woman would be in a significant amount of pain when she woke up, at least some of the hard work she and Zelos had done was paying off. Unsure if she was reassuring herself, or the unconscious girl, she mumbled aloud, "Zelos will get right to work when he comes back from his meeting with the King... I wonder if he's gotten word out to Mizuho yet that you're here...?"

"Actually I did, her old buddy Orochi was there and I gave him the news to give to her gramps." Zelos interrupted her musing, starting the girl into a stammering and blushing mess. Mustering up a sheepish chuckle, the redheaded swordsman walked into the room and rested his hand tenderly on top of her head, nodding at the sleeping ninja before he continued, "They'll have the news by the end of the day, knowing their networking skills. I'm sure they'll be right pissed when they hear it too, especially with Lloyd being AWOL on top of her injuries."

"That's right... Lloyd wasn't with her." Colette murmured sadly, glancing nervously at the ninja before shuffling closer into Zelos' side, almost as if for reassurance. His arm dropped casually around her shoulder and tugged her close, an embrace she was quickly getting used to, despite herself. "She was completely alone..."

"She's only said three words since she got here, and it's been three days." Zelos' frown darkened as he remembered her weak whispers, between pants and moans of pain. She had gripped his sleeve like a lifeline, tawny eyes dull and unfocused as she murmured to him and he repeated them now. " 'Lloyd', 'ambush' and 'prison'. That's it. I guess it's safe to assume Lloyd's being held somewhere against his will if that's the case... How the hell she managed to escape in this condition is beyond me. She couldn't have made it this far when she was so beat up. They could've figured she was dead and dumped her somewhere around the mountains..."

Colette found herself shaking her head, pressing her fingers restlessly against her palms as she examined the summoner closely. Somehow, though she wasn't sure why, she didn't agree with what he said and murmured to herself, "No... If whoever captured them were smart enough to ambush them, then they definitely wouldn't make the mistake of thinking that she was dead. She either escaped or..." Her voice fell and she bit her lower lip as her eyes darkened with distrust and she glanced around the room unconsciously, "or they freed her for some reason."

"Why let her go? If they killed her, the Summon Spirits would be free of their pacts and Mizuho would be left without a chief. She probably escaped somehow, though I really can't imagine her leaving Lloyd behind if she had the chance to run. That's not like her." Zelos mused, then he finally shook his head and tugged tenderly at a lock of Colette's blond hair. His expression worried, he scolded her softly when she looked up at him curiously, "Angel, we can think about this all we like but we just won't get anywhere until she wakes up and gives us answers. It's better to relax and try to wait till then. Get some sleep, you've been up on your feet since sunrise."

"I don't want to leave until she wakes up. After everything..." Colette's voice fell flat and she pinked a bit, glancing at her socked feet in embarrassment. Zelos ruffled her hair gently, and she looked up then started when she realized how close his face had moved to hers. Swallowing as her eyes widened to the size of plates, she attempted to stammer out an explanation, "Sh-She's my friend, I-I-I feel like I should be there!"

"Angel... You've been by her side pretty much since she's gotten here. She'd be angry that you've stopped taking care of yourself." Zelos scolded her softly, tapping her nose with his finger in a gently admonishing manner. He was arrogantly pleased that she had no answer for him, and had turned an even brighter shade of rouge than normal at their rather close proximity. "Go to bed, get some sleep, and eat a proper meal, then you come back."

Rather unsure why the muscles in her stomach tightened and a warm feeling spread through her blood at his words, she couldn't move but merely stared at his eyes, transfixed. His smile was the same as she had always remembered it but his eyes were shining with a different warmth that she had never seen before. Her words had fled her, and all she could do was shake her head from side to side in argument.

"Colette, don't force me into making you go." Zelos dropped his voice into a seductive purr, and he moved even closer now to whisper into her ear, savouring the feeling of her chest pushing against his own. Her quick breath in his ear was oddly arousing and he forcibly reminded himself that one of his dearest comrades was sleeping only a few inches away from them. "You know you need the rest."

"Z-Zelos, I..." Colette squeaked, her voice pitching up several octaves when she realized just how close they were now. Part of her brain demanded to flee, though she had no idea where, while the other was practically shrieking with delight and demanding that she embrace him. Not understanding either, she stepped backwards and sideways, but he followed her and somehow they ended up against the doorway. Suddenly rather fearful and completely bewildered, she let out a very soft whimper of his name.

Zelos was completely taken aback by the physical reaction she stirred in him, and he found himself unable to move or even control what his body was doing. He knew without a doubt that she had melted his heart and brought her very close to him, but never before had she actually stirred this sort of desire in him. He admitted to himself that he had always found her cute, but to his surprise he found himself lusting after her in a way that profoundly shocked him.

Judging by the way she was pushed against him and gasping, he knew that she was just as affected as he was by this strange new connection. Again, it both shocked and pleased him to know this, and the only thing that stopped his carnal desires from moving forward was the knowledge of her innocence. Quietly, he muttered against her ear, "Will you go and get some rest? You need it."

"S-Sure..." Colette mumbled, trying to figure out why her entire body was buzzing and her skin felt as though it was on fire. Zelos released her, much to her relief and shocking disappointment, and she all but fled the room. She only made it halfway down the stairs before her heartbeat demanded her to stop, and she raised her hands to press them against her chest, consumed with confusion. 'What was... What was that? I-I've never felt like _that_ before when Zelos was near me... Why...?'

A gentle tapping startled her from her thoughts, and she looked p in alarm to see Seles peeking out from her room, wearing a sheepish smile as she tugged awkwardly at her nightgown. Blinking several times to clear her head, Colette hopped up from where she stood and asked quickly, "Um, yes Seles? Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Well, uh... I was kinda wondering if you'd mind walking around with me a little outside?" Seles asked nervously, rubbing at her nose as she glanced anywhere but at Colette's confused face, her skin matching her hair colour as she blushed. She continued in a rush, "I'm getting kinda restless and brother won't let me leave my room without an escort. W-Would you mind walking with me Colette?"

'Some fresh air might do me some good... and as long as we don't go too far, Zelos won't get angry if she's with me.' Colette smiled and nodded, then almost laughed as Seles all but dashed from her room to her side, wearing a long cream-coloured coat over her nightgown. When she noticed Seles' hand touching the wound in her stomach, she asked worriedly, "Are you sure you'll be okay for a walk? I mean, you haven't had a lot of time since you were hurt..."

"Big brother says it's my body's memory of the injury that hurts, not the actual wound itself. Since he healed me at the party anyway, it's just my mind telling me that I'm still hurt when I'm really not." Seles explained with a wave of her hand, though she didn't remove her free one from her abdomen. Her eyes darkened, and then she looked at the floor and murmured, "But... But Sheena... big brother can't heal her like he healed me, can he...?"

"No... She's hurt really bad, Seles." Colette admitted, biting at her lower lip as she remembered posing that very question to the swordsman just a few hours into treatment. His answer had been quiet, and rather pained and she repeated it now, "He's more of a fighter than a healer, he's not anything like Professor Raine. He can heal her, but only in doses and it won't be very strong. He might not even be able to heal her entirely, that's why he went to the castle, he wants to find a better healer."

"She'll... be alright though, won't she?"

"I... I hope so, Seles..."

* * *

**Altamira**

**That Night**

Raine let out a very low sigh as she checked her bag for what had to be the fifteenth time, then she dropped her hands to her sides and sat on the edge of her bed. The night outside had lost its usual charm, and she wasn't in the mood to hear the laughter of the lovers who walked around the resort. 'So soon... Everything seems to be happening one after another... George's murder, Seles' attack in Meltokio, then Lloyd's disappearance and Sheena's status... I'm glad that Zelos knew enough to send the word, but it seems like too many things are happening for it to be a sheer coincidence...'

Folding her hands into her lap, the half-elven woman glanced longingly towards the company where her husband was and shook her head. It was the first time in nearly a week that he had returned to the building, and though she knew it was difficult for him, he still insisted to go alone to settle the affairs while he was away. She didn't have the heart to deprive him of it, and so she waited patiently at the manor for his return before they could leave Altamira.

'Still... It feels wrong for him to have to leave everything behind... But this is one of our own who has been injured, I don't blame him for his concern...' Raine shook her head from side to side in a vain attempt to clear her worry, but it seemed to do her no good. Zelos' message had been remarkably grim, and that alone surprised her. 'I can't... believe that so much happened to her. Lloyd has disappeared, Sheena is in horrible condition... From how he spoke, he was so exhausted from attempting to heal her by himself... But what in the name of Martel could have happened to her?' The letter from Zelos had truly inspired the mood, there was no joking and there was nothing but a serious air that let her know that he truly had been shocked by what he'd seen and tried his best to describe the horrible outlook her condition had given him.

_Raine, this is serious, I've never seen this kind of thing done to anyone before. She should be dead from the range of these wounds. Whoever did this to her was serious about keeping her prisoner and they probably tried to get as much information from her as possible. We all know how tough Sheena is, but this stuff is beyond Mizuho training. We have to be prepared for the idea that Sheena may have spilt our secrets. Under this kind of pressure, I'm not really surprised that she hasn't woken up yet. From the extent of her injuries... I haven't told Colette but... I think we should be prepared for the case that she might not wake up at all. If she does, her mental state can be horrible, she might even try to kill us if she's been broken. There's just too much that we don't know. I'd really appreciate you being here for this Professor, I'm at a complete loss here and I'm useless as hell to heal this much damage. Seles' healing took a lot out of me and now to try and heal another in such a short span...? I could really use your help here. _

When she finally had righted her mind again and spoke to Regal, they had made their decision right then and there to leave to Meltokio. It truly did seem like the only thing that they _could_ do, considering the circumstances. Though neither had said it outright, the idea of this torture that Sheena had endured both scared them fiercely. 'Dammit. I seriously do not like the look of all of these incidents...'

As if her body was hastening to agree, goosebumps erupted up her arms and self-consciously she rubbed at them. Her entire body was wound tightly as a spring, just waiting to be released. Chewing absently at her lower lip, she felt the tension increasing in her body, warning her that something was amiss. Trusting her instincts, Raine slowly got to her feet and found her hand reaching for her staff that lay on the bed beside her. 'What is this feeling?'

Then the scent touched her nose, and her entire body froze in horror. The smell of smoke floated through her door, and she was abruptly aware of an uncomfortable heat building below her feet. Her mind needed no extra pressure to put the pieces together, and she almost retched with horror. 'Fire?!'

Her first impulse was a stupid one, and after she had done it she cursed her idiocy with all the words she knew after she threw her door open. Black smoke curled into her room and stung at her eyes, and as quickly as she'd opened her door she was slamming it shut again with a vicious snarl of a curse. Though she had only gotten a single glimpse of the hall, she knew enough. It was completely engulfed with flames and only the open window at the end of the hall had prevented the smoke from becoming thicker and killing her slowly. The oxygen however would quickly add more fuel to the flames, and her mind needed nothing else to do the calculations. She had minutes, if her luck held out on her.

All but absorbing her staff into her chest as she clutched it, she ran to the balcony and glanced down even though she knew what she would see. The entire floor below her was immersed in smoke and fire, burning both downwards and upwards at once, the flame devouring everything it touched. Screams of the workers in the mansion filled her ears, mixing it sickeningly with the roar of fire and crackling of wood. Staring down however, she saw her salvation and every cell in her body screamed with denial and terror as her eyes fixed on the crashing waves below.

'It's your only way out, Raine.' She hissed to herself as smoke filtered in, thick and black, from under the heavy wood of her bedroom door. Flames licked almost tenderly at the edges, happy to find a new way in and set fire to the thick carpet below. It was in her room now, and would waste no time in making its way to her and burn her alive.

'No, no, no, no, I won't go down there. I won't!'

She was back in time, having fallen from the boat and feeling the icy water surrounding her in its deadly embrace. Her own screams of terror and pain echoed back over her through the waves, taunting and terrifying. She was treading water in a panic, swallowing the icy liquid by accident and falling under as she choked on it. Clawing her way to the surface, she screamed again, the cold was numbing her skin and turning her lips blue.

The boat that carried her pregnant mother and ill father was getting farther and farther away from her, and she tried desperately to pull herself through the water but the heavy waves merely crashed over her with a savage delight. Bruised, frightened and panicked into madness, she fought anyway and clawed at the liquid, desperate to gain a handhold that simply didn't exist. Water, it was everywhere, clutching her in an unescapable hold, laughing at her attempts to flee when there was nowhere to go. She didn't remember feeling a hatred for this savage and beautiful thing, there was no sound logic to her mind, her body had cruelly taken over and called upon instincts she never had need for.

"No!"

She didn't realize she had cried aloud as she pulled herself nimbly over the railing, balancing perilously on the edge of the balcony. Her hands gripped desperately at the rail, refusing to let go even as she turned her body towards the ocean. The water seemed to be staring up at her, patient and eager for her to jump willingly into its deadly embrace, something she thought she never would have to do.

The warmth was at her back now, warning her of how much she was stalling... She knew she was whimpering as she loosened her grip on the railing, and she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. 'I'm... so scared.' She took a step onto the empty air, and despite herself her eyes shot open as she fell. The wind tore away her scream as she plummeted towards the water, and knew only an icy grip of fear in her chest as she hit the water with a loud splash.

**AN**

**... Grawr. (sigh) I have no comment other than sound-affects XD Yes I know it's a few days late, and I apologize profusely for this. My right wrist has been acting up lately with a lot of pain, making it hard to even hold a pencil let alone type on the computer. I'm going to try to finish up another chapter in time for next Monday, but I can't make any promises seeing as I just wore myself out with a double update. Writing can be a huge pain in the ass when it wants to be!**

**Maurice A Nigma****: Were you born nice or was it a habit you picked up later in life? If so, where and is it possible to go there for lessons? XD Thank you though for giving me the confidence booster to keep at it, I really appreciate your kindness. It gives me a swift kick in the rear when I need it most, so merci!**

**Sychotic: Ditto goes for you, lol, how did you people get so nice? XD**

**Jivey: Lol, I figured that would end up coming to haunt me, the lack of SheLloyd fluff... Though I will give you a warning, there's going to be plenty of fluff throughout the story, hopefully that wasn't too much of a spoiler... Hehe, hope to see more from you down the road if you're looking forward to the romance!**

**Sky**


	6. Concerns, Questions and Answers

**Palmacosta**

**Late that Night**

It was simply too easy.

He walked liked Death, silently yet with purpose down the halls of the rebuilt building that housed the governor-general. The guards had been dispatched of with ease, they had never seen their killer, who stood so calmly in front of them. He bore their last sights in his hands; a flash of steel before they saw nothing ever again. Even when their armour hit the polished floor and tinkled in the night, their murderer swept away from the scene, intent on completing the mission he had been assigned with.

The double doors that led to the main room were held widely open, inviting Death in with his bloodstained hands. An offer the silent soldier could not resist. His feet made no noise as he ghosted into the room, spotting his target bent over his desk, absorbed in paperwork and oblivious to what was coming to meet him.

Neil felt the prickling sensation on the back of his neck, an instinctive warning that something was coming towards him. Though he was no soldier, the man got to his feet anyway, adrenalin pounding hard in his body as he tensed for a battle. He saw what it was that had scared him so, a shadowed figure in the doorway, holding a blade loosely in its left hand. The blade dripped a black liquid in the moonlight from the window, and he had a sickening sensation that he knew what that liquid was. His breath caught in his throat, and Neil felt the cold numbness that came with the painful knowledge that he was not going to leave this room with his life.

The figure stepped from the shadows, closing the distance with a weary calmness that only terrified the target as he got a glimpse of the face. Neil's eyes widened in shock, but even then his words had escaped him until the killer was close enough to strike at him with an ease lunge. His voice hoarse, shaky, he whispered only one word. "Why?"

"You don't want to know the answer to that question." His killer replied indifferently, and he lifted his blade to point the tip of the sword to Neil's heart.

"But... why are...?" Neil's voice faltered and he knew a fear that gripped at him from every angle, both inside of his body and in his head. He knew he would get no answer from this shadowed killer, and he also knew he would find no peace in the question he repeated in his mind. Closing his eyes tightly, as if to steel himself against this fate, he felt his body going limp as he took in his defeat. He had no chance to flee, and there was no chance of anyone coming to his rescue. The blood on the blade told him all he needed to know, his guards were all dead and there were no heros to hear his screams when his own angel came to him.

Cold eyes stared into scared ones, and for a moment the coldness seemed to flicker, into an almost apologetic light. "Close your eyes, and I will make it as painless as possible."

"I'm sorry if I don't happen to believe that." Neil scoffed forcibly, even while his body trembled he tried to summon a strength he did not have to ward off the invitation. His eyes hardened and he stared down his opponent, hands curling tightly at his sides as he spat a challenge to him, "Kill me like you killed my guards, I don't want a painless death if my companions suffered in their duties! Kill me and get it over with, you bastard!"

Still, the man kept his word. Like a ghost, he slid the last few steps that had held the distance between them, and his blade sunk cleanly through the man's chest, severing his spine with one thrust. The second blow killed him when he no longer felt pain, sliding upwards and through his still beating heart to cut it in half.

Neil's corpse fell to the floor and his killer pulled his blade from the body, wiping it clean on his own pantleg. He would not desecrate the body by cleaning his bloody sword on his clothes, and he sheathed it with a quiet click. Blood had already pooled around the body, glistening black in the pale moonlight streaming from the window. The killer lightly turned off the lamp with a gloved hand, and took a small step from the blood so not to soil his boots.

He turned his back on his work, and walked slowly to the door even as he heard the crimson liquid trickling down the steps. Before he left the room however, he turned his head and stared silently at the fallen corpse on the floor. No emotion registered on a face hidden in shadow, but his words echoed in the empty hall, "I'm sorry, my old friend."

A chuckle warned him that he was no longer alone, and knowing that time had grown short, he was quick to flee from the death-ridden building and into the free night air. Escaping from the silent village of Palmacosta was as easy as it had been to enter, and when he had finally left the perimeter of the city did his company see fit to reveal themselves, running easily at his flank.

"You did well, for your first mission. Did you find what you were ordered to obtain?"

From his pocket, without ever looking back at the woman running behind him, he tossed a full bag of crystals into her outstretched hand. She captured it easily and pocketed it herself without bothering to count it, and he muttered harshly, "Twenty of them, just like you wanted. From the academy, and Neil was dispatched of, also like you ordered, _General_."

The emphasis on her rank seemed to annoy his companion, but she didn't bother showing this to him. Instead she slowed to a trot and he followed suit, the night covering them both in a peaceful darkness. The crystals stowed away against her clinked like jewels, melodiously reminding the two of the human lives that had been lost in their creation. "Good, he'll be pleased with your progress."

"Where do you want me next?" The question was cold and it snapped out like a whip, his patience was gone and his annoyance had reached its third apex for that night. He never looked at his coldly laughing comrade, knowing that his blade would take its fifth life that night if he saw her smiling eyes.

"Asgard, to the Temple of Wind." She replied casually, noticing the way he flinched, his memories stirring so obviously in the blackness. Her lips twitched into a slight smile, and she waved a hand even though he could not see the gesture with his back turned to her. "I won't be leaving you for quite some time, my mission is to follow you and make sure that you complete _yours_. Especially after the stunt you pulled in our master's presence."

"You don't need to be with me to watch me." He shot back coldly, detesting her more with each second she stood at his back or anywhere near his range of attack. She seemed to take pleasure out of his hatred, but much to his relief she slid away in the shadows, granting him of his wish without another word.

He turned to the west, where the ocean separated him from Asgard. It would require flight to go there, and his hand slid soundlessly into his cloak to take the wing pack out. He dreaded this new mission, but words that he never wanted to repeat echoed so softly in his mind and reminded him of the oath he had taken. His hand clenched tightly around the pack in his hand, and he raised it into the air to unleash the Rheaird into the open.

Slinging his leg over the seat, he took a long moment to position the fuel gauges and seating, as if he could delay his task by doing this. He could practically feel his watchdog's impatience at his time wasting, and he silently hit the motor and felt the machine jerk between his legs and rise up an inch from the ground in a whirring hover. In the night as he took off from the ground, the sound of the bell around his neck echoed. The jingling noise, so unlike its happy chime, spoke of fear and sadness, mourning the deaths of the four souls that would never see the sun that rose so proudly in the east.

* * *

**Altamira**

She didn't remember hitting the water, or somehow gathering the strength to pull herself to the shore. Her mind spun with pain and cold, and she clutched at her staff as if it could somehow give her the ability to remain awake. Her legs remained in the water, she had only pulled herself halfway onto the beach, breathing in the air greedily as her wet clothes and hair stuck to her frozen body.

She could hear screams coming from somewhere farther away and above her, mixed with a crackling and roaring that was faintly familiar. She didn't want to think about it, or think of anything at all, her entire body ached and shuddered with pain and made it a struggle to keep her eyes open.

Yet she knew that closing her eyes wasn't an option, if she fell asleep now she would never wake. Rolling over onto her back took a large amount of effort but she managed it, and stared up blindly at the smoky night sky. More screams coloured the night, yells of revulsion and shrieks of fright that spun angrily in her ears until she wanted to stop them with her hands. The stars seemed rather distant to her eyes, as if they had decided to drift away from her.

A strange whistling sound cut through the air which whipped into a strong gust. Closing her eyes, she didn't have the strength to turn her body from the wind, so she settled for turning her face instead. As quickly as it had started up, the wind died down and a humming sound replaced the whipping noise.

Footsteps crashed towards her, and she was numbly aware of a pair of strong arms lifting her gingerly out of the surf and cradling her body against a warm chest. She reacted instinctively, nuzzling closer to this new warmth, pressing herself as best she could against the clothed skin in hopes of thawing her cold blood. The arms tightened around her and she could feel herself being lifted and carried away from the water and back to stable land.

She couldn't look up, only hug herself in a vain effort to conserve body heat. A chin rested on top of her head and the strength of her rescuer was as comforting as it was restraining. She never fought once, merely sat docilely in the grip and grit her teeth to stop them from chattering noisily in the night.

Regal had been lucky, it had been chance that he looked out of the window of his office to see the smoke rising from where his mansion sat. Going on gut instinct alone, he'd fled Lezareno and boarded his Rheaird to fly the short distance between his company and his home. He had been a fraction of a minute too late to see her jump for the water, but he'd known by the sight of the flaming home that she had no choice but to try the ocean.

Scouring the beach had been his first move, and again by sheer luck, he had found her first. Collapsed in the sand, still holding onto her rod, she seemed for all appearances to have been waiting for him to find her. Find her he had, and he couldn't keep himself from being relieved that she was alive, finally safe in his arms.

"It's alright Raine, you are perfectly safe here now." Regal muttered quietly into her damp hair, glaring through narrowed eyes at the flames that still engulfed his home. He doubted heavily that the fire had been accidental, even if he couldn't prove it he knew better than to stay anywhere near Altamira after this incident. However, Raine was soaked thoroughly and shaking uncontrollably in his arms from her cold, and her health came before any of his hunches. "Just a moment longer and we'll get you warm again... Hang in there for me..."

Raine didn't answer, but she did moan quietly and attempted to turn closer into his arms. He allowed this, and she sighed gratefully as she pressed her cheek to his chest. His arms cradled her easily as if they'd be designed for this alone, and with closed eyes she allowed herself to be carried along the darkened streets of the resort island.

A few minutes later, she was sitting silently in front of a roaring fire on the floor, and while she winced away from the bright light of the flames the heat was too intoxicating to ignore. The hotel had offered up one of their best rooms without a word, and Regal thanked them stiffly before carrying the still weak half-elf to the room. Her drenched clothes had been tossed away and she wore a loose-fitting pair of pants and a shirt, holding Regal's coat tightly around her still shivering shoulders. He sat some distance away from her but his eyes were ever present on her back, weary and wound with still-flowing adrenalin and worry.

Softly, so softly that Regal nearly mistook the words for a breeze through the window, she whispered between shivering lips, "Thank you for saving me..."

Regal blinked once, and then he left his seat by the door to go to her side. She never moved from the hearth when he sat next to her awkwardly, and he noticed that her eyes were staring at the flames with a strange indifference he had never seen in her before. She didn't look up at him but clutched his coat around her all the tighter as if it was protecting her from something he could not see. Concerned, the duke reached out to brush his fingers against her cool cheek and muttered gruffly, "I was foolish to leave you alone tonight. I should have been vigilant considering we had just heard of Sheena and Lloyd, this is my fault, I deserve no thanks."

"Sheena and Lloyd..." Raine repeated quietly, hugging herself tighter and moving minutely closer to the fireplace in an attempt to warm herself further. Grateful for the dry clothes that sheltered her, she held her hands out to the flame and sighed with satisfaction as the heat rushed into her skin.

"It may be in our best interests to leave immediately for Meltokio, I do not believe that the fire was accidental." Regal continued on seriously, mouth furrowing into a grimace as his anger began to churn in his stomach. The words she had spoken to him earlier struck him now, too many things had happened too quickly for it all to be coincidental. "We may have been lucky to have survived that blaze, but it is unwise to attempt to press our luck. There will be safety in numbers, even if we are in Meltokio. After reuniting with Zelos, Sheena and Colette, it would be best to find Presea and Genis next, then search for Lloyd."

She didn't answer, and while he knew it could have been due to the shock of hitting the water and nearly freezing to death in her moments alone, it still worried him. Silently, he reached out again to touch her cheek but she never reacted even as he turned her face from the fire to his own. Her eyes studied him as if seeing him for the first time, and again he felt dread welling in his blood from the indifference in her face.

"Raine...? Are you alright?"

"I... do not know." Raine answered him honestly, flinching and raising a hand to her temple. Her head throbbed fiercely and shook her vision, so she stayed absolutely still for a long moment until it subsided. Her vision seemed normal enough, and she cast a quick glance around the room to familiarize herself with her surroundings. Two twin-sized beds hugged the left wall, the right leading out to a balcony while she sat in the middle by the fireplace, the door just a few feet behind her. All seemed in place, and she looked again into the eyes of her rescuer, confused by the ache his appearance caused in her chest. "I can't tell, I feel so dizzy."

"You may need some rest, the shock of the fall may have disoriented you." Regal explained as gently as he could, growing rather suspicious of her confusion and pain. He got to his feet quietly and picked her up silently from the floor, glad that she didn't resist this embrace. Instead she sat quietly in his arms and allowed herself to be carried to the bed, and she sat plaintively on the edge of it when he released her. Quietly and in true concern, he knelt before her hand covered her small hands with his own before asking again, "Raine, are you okay? Are you perhaps injured somewhere? I can heal you if that is the case, just tell me where you are in pain."

"N-No, I'm not in pain, but..." Raine murmured quietly, growing more confused by the moment. His hands were rough but comforting around hers, and she resisted the urge to squeeze those fingers with her own. It was all so strange, as though she was experiencing all of this from somewhere that wasn't her body. She knew he was touching her but at the same time she could not draw the warmth from his skin as she did when he carried her from the beach. "My head aches and..." Her voice broke off as she turned her gaze from their hands to his face, and a fresh arc of confusion slammed through her chest when she saw the love in his face. This broke her, and she closed her eyes tightly and whispered softly, "I don't know who you are."

Regal didn't move from where he knelt, confused by her soft confession. Slowly his hands released hers and pressed anxiously against her face, urging her without words to open her eyes to look at him. She followed this unsaid order and stared at him, and he was shocked to see crystal tears forming in her eyes as she stared speechlessly at him. Moving his thumb to brush away a tear that had escaped too soon, he whispered hoarsely, "What did you just say?"

"I... I don't know who you are."

* * *

**Meltokio**

"ZELOS!"

Zelos jerked as Colette's voice shrieked in his ear, and he fell from his bed to land hard on his knees. His body moved without his orders, hand reaching for his sword as he burst to his feet and into a run towards the room where Sheena had been sleeping for almost six entire days. All but breaking the door down, his Last Fencer hissed through the air, fully prepared for a battle and to aid the angel who had cried out for him. He froze in the doorway, eyes widening and his blade falling limply to his side as he realized why she'd called for him. "Sheena..."

She didn't answer, but her sobs continued to wrack her injured form even as Colette hugged her as if to keep her from falling apart. They both sat together at the far end of the room, Sheena curled in on herself as she cried hopelessly into the blond's warm embrace. Colette looked up from the body she was holding, and Zelos started when he saw the fresh wound in her face, her cheek cut open from a dagger that lay forgotten on the bed where Sheena had been sleeping moments before.

"C-Colette, your cheek..." Zelos began quietly, stepping forward only to stop when she shook her head. She continued to hold Sheena close to her, rubbing at her back like she would to an upset child, her eyes brimming with tears that she refused to shed. Swallowing angrily, he took a few deep breaths then asked quietly, "What do you want me to do?"

"Can you make something for her to eat and drink? She's as thin as a twig, I'm sure she's really hungry." Colette kept her voice soothingly low as if she was still talking to the shaken teen in her arms, and she absently brushed away the blood on her face. Her eyes were firm as she looked back to Zelos and continued very quietly, "We need some gels and fresh bandages too, she reopened a few of her wounds when she woke up."

Zelos paused even when he was half-turning to obey her gentle orders. His eyes strayed to the shaking summoner that clung so desperately to Colette, and he could only wince as he imagined her terror as she awoke and struck out at the first thing she saw. She was crying now, seeming more like a child than a woman, but his doubt still remained. She had attacked Colette without a thought when she'd woken, it was possible she would strike again if she felt she was in danger. The words tasted bitter on his tongue, but he spoke them anyway in concern for Colette's safety, "Are you sure it's alright to leave you alone?"

"She won't hurt me." Colette answered firmly, even though the pain in her face denounced those words. She said no more and turned her attention back to Sheena, waiting for him to leave. It only took a few moments but he followed her words and left the room, leaving her alone with the girl. When he was gone, she brushed the back of her hand against her face again to remove the blood and murmured to Sheena, "Shh..."

Sheena said nothing, but her sobs were dwindling down to broken hiccups and gasps for air now. Colette's arms around her broken body were like iron, but the comfort they offered was more important than the restraint. Her entire body ached and cried out at each breath that passed through her chest, but her tears refused to stop and it was all she could do to even cling to the front of her friend's shirt.

"You're okay now, no one can hurt you. You're safe. You're okay." Colette murmured soothingly, wishing that her words were true even as she spoke them. It frightened her to see her friend broken this way, she had only twice seen Sheena shed tears, but this was entirely different. The Sheena she had known was not the one she was holding so protectively now, it was merely a shell of the ninja woman. She was now sniffling, sobs having all but faded, and very gently she placed her hands on top of Sheena's and suggested in a low voice, "Let's try standing up now, okay? You have to lie down so Zelos can treat your wounds..."

Though she remained mute, Sheena nodded her head to show that she understood. Colette released her, and got to her feet, hands extended to offer aid. As silently as her comrade, Sheena pushed herself shakily to her feet, having to grasp at Colette's hands when her legs almost buckled with her weight. Colette helped her move to the bedside, sat her down and in a motherly gesture, ran her hand over her messy hair. Her topaz eyes were feverish with pain, but she still somehow managed to raise them and stare apologetically into the warm ones of the blond who sat beside her. She didn't part her lips to attempt to speak, but she did reach out to touch the cut she'd gouged in her face and wiped the blood away with her fingers.

"You were scared." Colette said simply, smiling when her friend bit her lower lip and frowned into her lap. She had to admit, the violent fury had scared her too but she didn't say it aloud. A moment ago her friend had finally opened her eyes, and the next a flash of silver had ripped a three inch cut into her face and Sheena was across the room in a defensive crouch, all but hissing in defiance. Colette had only been able to stand where she was in shock, pressing her hand against her cheek, staring with bewilderment. Then sanity had flickered back into those wild eyes, and she'd whimpered with pain before collapsing into breathless and anguished sobs. Colette had done the only thing she could think of, which was to cross the room and take the shaking woman into her arms to comfort her.

Sheena bit at her lower lip again, breathing in deeply even though it hurt her ribs to do so. The tight bandages around her ribcage had done their work, the bones had finally been given a chance to knit and begin to heal. Many of the superficial wounds that once mapped out her skin were healed over now, but she still felt the gashes in her back that still bled when she tried to move too much. The moves from her blitz awakening had reopened them all, and she'd jarred her healing bones badly as well yet none of that pain seemed to bother her when she stared so helplessly at the injury she'd given to her friend.

"Don't blame yourself. Martel only knows what happened to you, you reacted out of fright and instinct. I'm not mad at you." Colette grinned and ignored the pain from her torn skin, and she touched Sheena's face lightly with her fingers in an attempt to prove her love and forgiveness to her. "It's really alright, Zelos can give me a gel and a shot of First-Aid, and everything will be A-OK again."

"I'm sorry."

Colette blinked, taken aback by the whispered words for a moment, then she let out a shaky breath of relief. It had been a dark five days of strained silence and broken whimpers as she tended dutifully to Sheena's wounds, it was almost a near miracle to the angel now to hear her speak of her own will. A small smile tugging at her lips, she let out a sigh and whispered, "Don't apologize, and don't thank me or Zelos for what we did. You're our friend, you're also our family. That's what we do for family."

"Still..." Sheena broke off when she saw Colette's eyes narrow in warning, yet her gentle air still remained. She knew defeat, yet it seemed so much stranger than the defeat she had grown used to in her weeks of torture. A tremble of pain and fear rocked her body as she thought of it, and instinctively she clenched her teeth together and closed her eyes tightly.

The hateful eyes of the Desians who had watched with gleeful sadism as blow after blow was landed on her body, the hard shoes that slammed against her ribs over and over when she failed to rise again. Their laughter echoed like thunder in her ears when she gave in and refused to speak or react to their blows which grew more violent and painful with her defeat. Then the worst of all the memories, Lloyd's scream as he told her to run, and the angel's golden eyes piercing her as she watched indifferently as she lost consciousness and fell to the floor under the heavy sedation.

She wasn't aware that she'd begun to cry again until Colette wiped at her face gently with the edge of the bed sheet, and she could only sit in silence. Shuddering with pain, she hugged herself and curled in on her own body, wishing she could disappear where she sat as the pain of her memories and her wounds dug into her brain and heart. In a breath lower than any whisper, she spoke aloud, "They won't stop... the memories won't stop, the tears won't stop... I can't make them quit..."

"Cry all you like. It's really alright, I won't think any less of you if you cry, Sheena. I understand that you need to. So cry."

It hurt her to hear those words, as gentle and honest as they were. Her past and present had been blended together in those harsh weeks, making this kindness strangely new to her even though it had once been so common. Colette's hand was stroking her hair again, touching her in ways she was completely unfamiliar to. It worked though, unlocking her reserves and shattering her already fragile composure.

The tears leaked silently down her face, she had no more strength left to sob. She merely sat there in pained silence, crying into her bruised hands as Colette sat by her, giving her comfort without words or actions. During this moment, Zelos had returned, arms laden with bandages, gels and a bowl of some sort of stew. He froze in the doorway and his chest ached with sympathy as he watched Sheena cry and Colette squeeze her hands tenderly.

Silent and stone, he placed the bandages and gels by Colette's left side, placing the bowl of stew and spoon on the opposite table. He felt oddly out of place in this scene, Sheena had yet to even look at him since she'd woken but he couldn't find it in himself to be bothered by it. Colette's warmth was so naturally freeing that he knew Sheena needed it more than she needed his support or healing. Physical wounds would always heal given enough time, but her mentality had been scarred badly. Only the angel's tender touch would let it heal, and he did not possess that power.

Colette stopped him from leaving however, her free hand closing on his sleeve, eyes beseeching. He sighed and nodded but didn't move from where he stood, waiting for Sheena's crying to cease before he would speak. She brushed at her face and removed the tears, swallowing shakily before she finally looked up at Colette and then to Zelos. He smiled ruefully when he saw the apology and thanks in her eyes, and then he said quietly, "It's fine. Don't press yourself to speak or anything. We'll heal you, feed you, then you can go back to sleep and get some rest. The Professor should be on her way here to help you out, I'm not that good a healer..."

"Raine's coming?" Sheena questioned very quietly, and she couldn't deny the warmth in her body as she thought of seeing another friendly face. Colette's presence had been like a sedative, even seeing Zelos had given her some strength that she had assumed to be long gone. Forever and a lifetime had passed since she had seen any of her friends' faces, she was surprised by how desperately she wanted to see them all now.

"Yeah, I sent her a letter when you showed up, that was four days ago." Zelos explained levelly, handing over the bowl of stew so she could finally eat. She took a curious look at the concoction before digging in, and Colette reminded her gently to take it slow. The hunger in her face surprised the Chosen, as did her sheer pleasure when she tasted the food. It reminded him harshly of how thin she had become, beyond the tattered state of her body she looked as though she hadn't been fed properly in years, let alone the short few months she had to have been missing. He continued quietly, "You've been here for about five days, unconscious the entire time. There's been a hell of a lot of questions we want to ask you, but they can wait till you've had a few decent meals and gotten better."

Sheena paused, her hand freezing and the spoonful of food falling back soundlessly into the bowl. Though her stomach growled, unhappy to be denied of its first proper meal in weeks, she forced herself to ignore it and looked into the serious eyes of her companion. Colette too had come to attention at her right, face set in a frown, and the ninja knew that time was not an ally of hers. She had no idea what had become of Lloyd since her freedom from the prison, and the thought of his being alone there terrified her more than anything she had ever felt. 'I only made it because of him, Martel only knows what'll happen to him now that he's by himself. For all I know, he could've been told that I'm dead.'

She cleared her throat painfully and her hands shook a bit as she lowered the bowl into her lap. Taking several deep breaths to steady her body, hardening topaz eyes met the cold blue of her male friend, and she spoke quietly, "No, the questions can't wait. I can't remember everything, but I know you need to know everything that I do right now. It's too dangerous to leave things like this unsaid for even a few days. Ask all you can and I'll tell you everything I can remember."

"You shouldn't push yourself..." Colette began softly, worriedly, but the hardened look on her friend's face silenced her. Even broken and beaten, her natural stubbornness managed to surface again, bringing back the old Sheena that somehow had managed to survive. Chewing on her thumb nervously, she sidled closer to her and murmured, "Okay, but keep eating. You're starving and you need food to keep up your strength."

Zelos waited until Sheena resumed her meal, though she was pacing herself now. The food did wonders for her, pale skin returning to its healthy pallor and though her topaz eyes remained glazed over with pain there was a life in them that had been absent before. Very quietly and hating himself because he knew it would cause her pain to relive everything she'd experienced, he asked his first question. "What happened to you and Lloyd?"

Sheena winced and avoided answering straight away by taking a large mouthful of stew. Chewing slowly and quietly, she closed her eyes and tried to remember. Many of the days before her capture had run together, giving her trouble in trying to time the occurrences before their freedom had been taken away. Swallowing noisily, she kept her eyes closed and dug through her mind, trying to answer him as haltingly but clearly as possible, "We'd just left the Temple of Lightning, after we'd hidden away some Exspheres... We couldn't bring them straight to Yuan yet, since it was going to take time for him to be able to get rid of them all. So we hid a load of them each in the Temples, we figured that no one would be stupid enough to go near them... It was around morning, Lloyd just woke me and then there was a noise... Something hit him from behind, I remember getting to my feet and trying to help him but then I must have gotten hit too... The next thing I remember was waking up in a cell with Lloyd calling my name. After that... they started torturing us, trying to get us to tell them where we'd hidden the Exspheres."

Colette whimpered once and shook her head from side to side, gripping Zelos by the arm as tears of her own welled in her eyes. Zelos held her by the shoulders, swearing quietly under his breath. He had suspected as much of the torture, it was well written on her body but now he worried that they had spoken. Taking a deep breath and holding Colette to his side, he waited until Sheena had taken and swallowed another bite of food before he asked very darkly, "Did you tell them where you'd hidden them?"

"They always took us together, and neither of us broke. Being with him made me strong enough to keep my mouth shut." Sheena replied firmly, even though part of her chest burned as she reminded herself that he was now without her. Gritting her teeth together, she continued roughly, "They never separated us for some reason, they always kept us together. When that woman came in and ordered her soldiers to sedate me, I knew that something bad was going to happen. I managed to kill one of them but then they stabbed me with a needle and I passed out..."

"Woman, there was a woman calling the shots?"

"An angel, I think." Sheena explained in a low voice, raising a hand to rub at her face. The angel's eyes were the coldest honey colour, and they flashed painfully in her mind as the memories played out in front of her. Wincing again, she forced her pain in her throat to flee and continued softly, "She never actually joined in on the torture, there were soldiers who did that for her... but she was a general or something important because no one would even look at her, like they were scared she'd kill them just with her eyes. She'd leave after a few minutes when they started with the torture, like she was bored or something. She was definitely a higher up..."

"So, you think these freaks are Desians?" Zelos asked in a very hard voice, eyes flashing as he reminded himself cruelly of his sister who slept on peacefully in the room across from this one. His teeth grit as he waited for the answer, even though he already knew his hatred had been confirmed.

"They were Desians, they had to be. Everything from their armour to their attitudes proved it." Sheena replied positively, her eyes flashing with hatred as she thought of the soldiers who had nearly killed her and Lloyd. The uniforms they wore were identical to the ones she remembered from her experiences in the ranches, down the very last detail in the helmets. Taking in a low breath, she stared at her lap and continued slowly, "They were trained soldiers too, they knew what they were doing... Under orders or not, these guys aren't the foot soldiers we fought back in the ranches, I think we're up against something way stronger than Cruxis."

"Yggdrasil is dead, why the hell would the Desians be back?" Zelos mused quietly, frowning when he saw Sheena wince and Colette bite down hard on her lower lip. Their pain was almost singular, and he knew it was because Colette had too much empathy. Sighing in resignation, he muttered, "I guess no one knows that answer but the freaks themselves... We're really going to have to watch our backs now."

"Raine and Regal, are they both coming? What about Genis and Presea?" Sheena questioned him this time, her voice weary and still frightened. She didn't want to imagine any of them going through what she had, it was painful enough just to think of how Lloyd was faring by himself. Zelos blinked which gave her all the answer she needed to know, and she explained hastily, "I don't know what exactly the Desians want from us. It'll be a lot safer if we're all together in one place, at least then there's no risk of someone getting captured or killed."

Colette's eyes widened in terror, and her hands pressed tightly to her mouth as if to halt a scream from passing through her lips. Her thin frame began to tremble, and she whispered, voice muffled by her fingers, "They're going to try to kill all of us, aren't they?"

"They nearly killed me." Zelos said stonily before Sheena could speak, and she looked up at him with wide eyes, fright registering clearly on her tired face. He waved away her concern with his hand, explaining numbly, "Seles saved my ass, she took the arrow for me instead. They left me a lovely message too when I killed their assassin, 'we are coming'. Does that ring any bells to you?"

Sheena shook her head, her creamy pallor having returned to the deadly white it had been before. Raising her hand to her mouth, she chewed idly at her thumb, thinking hard. Many of the soldiers didn't watch their words around the prisoners, but most of what was said was normally ignored due to their pain and hunger. Resigned, she answered sadly, "Sorry, it doesn't. The guards were always outside and we were so beat that we never listened. We slept, ate when we could and that was really it. Hell, I hadn't heard Lloyd's voice for nearly a month before I was taken. That message means nothing to me. But if it is them that are behind this, then it doesn't surprise me that they're working with scare tactics."

"They tried to kill me, and kidnapped you and Lloyd... It's safe to assume that they're after us then." Zelos agreed with a short nod, watching Colette wearily as she closed her eyes and shook away her fear. Her expression was shaky, but her bravery shone through as she listened silently to their conversation. He hated himself for thinking these things, but it all made too much sense for him to simply brush away. "Then it's also likely that while we've been separated, they might've attacked the others too."

"We're all in danger."

"No, we're all dead."

* * *

**Mizuho**

Orochi slid as a ghost along the hallway, listening attentively to the laboured breathing of the child who lay in the far end of the chief's hut. Entering the small room, the ninja respectively bowed his head in the direction of the two heros, speaking quietly to the axeman who had refused to leave the side of her companion since she had brought him to their village. Exhausted from carrying her friend through the forest, obviously mentally shaken on top of this, the girl had all but collapsed in the startled arms of Igaguri, entrusting the ninja clan to Genis' care. "Presea..."

Presea didn't lift her eyes from the boy's face, her hands clenched tightly into fists on her knees, resisting the burning impulse to brush her fingers across his forehead. He was sleeping, the herbal remedy he had drank earlier had put him under and though she'd expressed concern, she'd been told repeatedly that he was feeling no pain. Knowing that Sheena's second in command wanted to speak with her, she asked quietly, "Yes? What is it, Orochi?"

"News has reached us of Sheena and Lloyd's whereabouts. Vice-Chiefs Igaguri and Tiga wish to speak with you privately on this matter." Orochi explained quietly, watching life flicker into her face for the first time in a few days. She looked up from Genis, her eyes registering faint surprise through her pain. Knowing that she was going to yet again refuse to leave the side of the boy she had risked her life to bring to safety, he continued levelly, "They are willing to come to you, if you prefer..."

Presea bit her lower lip, her logic warning her that she had already pressed the ninja clan beyond limits simply by returning when she could have been followed. Though the welcome had been anything but frigid, she didn't want to press her shaky luck. However... Her blue eyes softened as she looked worriedly down at the face of her saviour, and this time she couldn't control the impulse to brush her hand along his forehead. She hadn't left him since she herself had awoken, dazed and exhausted as she was, she'd all but fled to his bedside and remained there. It had only taken her two days to reach Mizuho, two full days of nonstop travel but with the triple burden of both of their packs and the injured boy, her already fragile state had simply broken down. 'I don't... want to leave him...'

"I will bring them to you. I will be a moment." Orochi replied when she didn't answer, but her expression was enough of one to the man. Turning his back on the two heros of regeneration, he swept through the hall on quick feet, wincing in sympathy as he thought of them. He had been glad that Igaguri had accepted them into the village without protest, though he had taken care to send out a team of ninjas to guard the village in case she had been followed and tracked. To their relief, the axeman had not been, and in his absence they had recruited two healers to set to work on the children.

The two men who were leading the village in unison looked up sharply at his approach, and no words had to pass between them to understand. Igaguri stood first, shaking his head a little with a saddened expression on his face. Tiga stayed where he sat however, turning back to the healers that had saved the lives of the children to settle his business. Igaguri followed Orochi as he took his leave, the silence growing nearly unbearable in the short walk as they thought of the news they were to bring to the young girl.

She hadn't moved from where she was sitting in the short minutes, though her hands were now clasped tenderly around one of the boy's as he slept. Looking up sharply when she heard their footsteps, her face pinked and she dropped her hands and placed them demurely in her lap. She stood at once and bowed her head in a sign of respect, murmuring softly, "I'm sorry for bringing you to me, I just couldn't bear the thought of leaving him alone..."

"I understand, he is dear to you." Igaguri waved a hand to ward off her explanation, gesturing that she was to sit again. He too took to his knees while Orochi went to the doorway, turning his back and standing guard to ensure their privacy. A moment of silence passed between them, then he began to speak, voice level and torn, "As I'm sure Orochi explained to you, we received news on the whereabouts of Sheena, and Lloyd to some extent. Zelos Wilder was lucky enough to have found Orochi at the Tethe'allan palace in Meltokio and gave him the news to bring to me. It was a miracle of Jizou that you happened to find your way here at the same time." He paused for a breath, and noticed that Presea's face had hardened into one of suspicion and worry. Knowing that beating around the proverbial bush would only annoy and worsen her condition, he explained flatly, "Sheena has been found in Meltokio, it appears that she was being held prisoner for many months in some sort of torture facility. Lloyd however has not been found, and it is being assumed that he is still where Sheena may have escaped from. The Chosens of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla have her under their care and have assured me that though injured, she is safe. Young Seles Wilder was also injured in an attack several days prior, and Zelos has taken pains to convince me that these two incidents are not coincidental. He seems certain that the attacks on his family, and on Sheena, are related. It may be that the group that attacked yourself and Genis in Ozette may be responsible for all of this chaos."

"Desians. They were Desians." Presea told him firmly, shaking her head as she remembered the savage murder of the one of the soldiers who had told them this. It made more sense to her now why the leader had killed him for telling them of their true nature, but the delight the leader, Auin, had taken in the killing still sickened her. Letting out a soft sigh of defeat, she turned to Genis and whispered, "The leader, Auin he called himself, would have killed the both of us if another angel hadn't stopped him. She saved both of our lives and healed Genis enough so I could get him to a safer location. They were members of Cruxis, Auin had an emblem that the church used."

"The two generals, they were both angelic beings?" Igaguri questioned with some surprise, blinking as he looked from the raptly listening Orochi at the doorway then to the stone-faced Presea. It confused him that mercy would be shown by enemies, though he well understood the struggle for power between two existing factions within one enemy. Frowning, he mused aloud, "If they were indeed the creatures that kidnapped my granddaughter and Lloyd, it would come together quite neatly... Revenge for the murder of Yggdrasil, attacking the heros of regeneration while you remain separated and isolated across the world... It is imperative that word is sent to Meltokio and to Altamira to inform the others of what has happened and to warn of future attack."

"No, I will go myself, once Genis is awake and capable of travel. We can't trust any other methods of communication, not with everything that happened. Our enemies are widespread, intelligent and powerful, I will go to Altamira, regroup with Regal and Raine, then go to Meltokio and inform Zelos of this personally." Presea disagreed sharply, gritting her teeth as she thought of the pain that had befallen her companions. She knew Zelos' love for his sibling well, and she also knew Sheena's deep devotion to the swordsman who had brought them all together. The pain that was being struck upon her comrades infuriated her almost as much as Genis' attack had, but through her anger she somehow managed to keep her head clear. 'The fact that they attacked Seles, even with all the defensive measures around her... Then to kidnap two of our best fighters then to imprison them, _torture_ them... These new Desians cannot be underestimated.'

Turning to Igaguri, she explained coldly, "We cannot make the risk of letting this information fall into the hands of our enemies. They are powerful but their true motives are still unknown to us. Auin, before nearly killing us, said he was here to deliver a message. It might be safe to assume that the attacks on my team were also messages. The less people involved in this, the better, I hope you understand why I say this Vice-Chief."

Igaguri nearly smiled but years of practise allowed himself to keep a stoic expression. The mature words from the childlike body struck him as odd but he knew that her logic was completely sound. She was afraid, that couldn't be hidden, but she still pressed on with a bravery that startled him. "Yes, I understand. However I will ask politely that you allow Orochi to aid you in your journey to Altamira and then to Meltokio. I would like to keep Mizuho informed on the status of our young chief."

"Yes sir, I understand. As long as Orochi doesn't mind being our escort of course." Presea added politely, glancing sidelong at the silent male who had been guarding the door. He didn't answer at first, and she frowned, worried that she had offended him and continued softly, "I really would appreciate your skills..."

"Sheena is our chief." Orochi answered her quietly, but his voice was low and serious as he spoke. He never turned towards them, but his body betrayed him by tensing. "But above this, she is also my friend. Escorting two of her comrades to safety seems like a menial task to carry out for her. It will be my pleasure to accompany yourself and Master Sage for a short while."

"Thank you, Orochi and Vice-Chief Igaguri." Presea said softly, her voice full of gratitude as she allowed her shoulders to slump and cave in on herself. The two males took their leave in silence, and she let out a soft sigh of relief, tilting her head back to look up at the ceiling. It soothed her nerves to sit close to her unconscious saviour, even though she knew that he was deaf and blind to her presence and her words.

When she was sure that they were both alone again, her hand touched the bandaging around his chest and she winced at the scene that flashed through her mind. Terror, a fear so violent and consuming that for a split instant, she had forgotten everything as he lay so still on the ground underneath her. She didn't care about what he had told her to do, or that her life would be traded for the seconds she wasted kneeling beside him as he took his last breaths. Nothing and everything had made sense in that moment, and the knowledge evaded her grasp as she reflected on it.

"_GENIS!"_

"_Can you... help him?"_

"_I deserve no thanks."_

"She said it was merely because our being alive was what her master wished but I still don't believe that is the reason why she saved us." Presea mused aloud, idly bringing the damp cloth on his forehead into a better position as she spoke her thoughts to the sleeping boy. She busied herself with straightening his sheets so that her hands wouldn't become restless, and continued thoughtfully, "But I still don't understand her motives... I almost wish I could've spoken more to her, but I was so overwhelmed, I didn't even think of it because she'd saved you... Still, even if it sounds wrong, I... I can't think ill of her. She helped me keep you to me, instead of letting you disappear, like Daddy and Alicia..."

He muttered something in his sleep, turning his head to the side, causing the cloth to fall onto the floor. Lifting it, she patiently turned his face back and returned the cloth to his forehead. She was a little surprised by the change she registered in his face in this movement, and she froze in her actions. He was still a child, she knew this, but there was an edge to his sleeping face that hinted at the maturity that was growing in him, hardening him. He had taken on that role so willingly, pushing her to the ground and taking his place in front of her, a hero despite his own misgivings.

'When did he... grow?' Presea frowned to herself, confused and immediately disliking the thought as it took root deep in her mind. Time marched on, oblivious to those it could leave behind, it was a lesson that had taken her two near years to learn and accept. This confused her now, she had walked alongside her time yet it seemed to have left her behind all over again. 'He looks so much more adult now. When did this happen? When did he mature without my notice?' Even while her mind scoffed at her own words, she found herself leaning over him and pressing her mouth to his ear, whispering while he slept, "Genis... please do not leave me behind."

**AN**

**Well did that not take forever or what? (dodges flying debris and jumps for the bomb shelter to avoid mass homicidal crowds) Sorry, lol, I know that joke is old but it amuses me anyway and I like doing it just for the repeated gag. It's my running joke XD The fangirls/fanboys are coming, the fangirls/fanboys are coming! We are a scary ass breed, I'm sorry but it needs to be said. We're scary people, lol, we frighten the hell out of the normals. I say "we" because I am a part of this insane majority (when you look at the stats for fanfiction authors, most are fangirls/fanboys and are damn proud of it XD), and I will not deny what I am, lol. That was my blurb on fan-ness and yesh. **

**Writer's block is a MAJOR pain in the ass, especially when it's combined with sickness that leaves you bagged on the couch for days. Halls have become my new best friends, lol, I cannot tell you how much I love those things. I pop 'em like candy when my throat starts aching. Anyway, as usual, I'm really sorry for the delay and I hope that the chapter makes up for the wait. I'll have my next up on time even if it kfcing kills me, and that's a goddamn promise! I refuse to keep lagging, it makes me feel like shit and I hate keeping my readers waiting. (After a month of waiting to see what happens to Riza, I really know how much of a pain it is to be patient). Grawr! Anywhosit, review response time!**

**Jivey:**** I cannot write anything without fluff being involved somewhere down the line, lol. All of my works prove this sad fact, lol. Another sad fact, I can't do sad endings to save my life, but I can throw down some badass cliffhangers according to some of my dutiful reviewers. That's what the bomb shelter's for, lol. It's been through three years of writing, and I'm still alive. XD Eww, ZelosxSheena XD No no no, you will not have to deal with that from this fangirl, as I hope it's been established. I do hope you don't mind ColettexZelos though, I'm sure you noticed that I went that way earlier in Jealousy as well in some of my previous chapters. I love fluff. Romance plus action equals a good story in my opinion. I'm also glad I have a reviewer who's taken an interest in Tasogare XD I love my OCs as if they were my children, so it's a joy to know that someone likes to read about her. Hehehe, if that's what it is anyway.**

**Sychotic****: Can I say I love you anyway, Sy? You're nice to me so that deserves cookies, lol. I'm a pushover I guess, lol, but meh, I enjoy what I do. I hope you liked this chapter and that it satisfied your expectations, and there is always more to come in the future!**

**Maurice A Nigma:**** Ditto goes for you, I love ya Maurice. Yes, I have been attempting to lower my own standards, but I still get annoyed when I pass by my posting deadlines. Though something I've always preached, and there are people who will back this up, is that "perfection cannot be rushed". Whether it be writing a song, painting a picture or writing a story, you simply can't rush the process. Creative flow comes and goes as it wants, as much of a pain as that is, when you don't have the groove you simply don't have the groove. A sad fact is that I've been suffering with lack of groove, so hopefully I'll get my ass back into gear sometime soon. I love getting your reviews, it really makes me look forward to posting my chapters. You keep reviewing and I will keep writing my friend! **

**Sky**


	7. Decisive Play

**Eastern Coast of Ozette**

**That Following Morning**

"I told you, I'm _fine_." Raine sighed for the tenth time that morning, glancing up into the worried eyes of her husband as a mix of annoyance and fond exasperation bubbled inside of her chest. Slowing down her pace towards the forest, she reached back to slide her hand into his and continued in a much softer voice, "It was a glancing blow to the head that gave me a very mild case of retrograde amnesia, I recovered my memory and am perfectly fine Regal. There is nothing wrong with me."

"You scared me." Regal admitted quite bluntly, frowning as he turned his head away from her so she couldn't read the exhaustion in his expression. It had been a very long night after her timid confession, he hadn't slept for even a minute. She'd spent a good hour crying over the loss of her mind, and he'd slipped her into bed when she had worn herself out and simply passed out in his arms. She had woken with some confusion during the night, and much to his relief and surprise, her memory had returned. Though it had taken a few minutes of explanation on how she had even gotten to the hotel in the first place, after the pieces had been presented to her, she'd dismissed his concerns with a wave of her hand.

Feeling her fingers twining themselves in his, he let out a sigh he didn't know he had been holding in, and turned his face to hers. Her eyes were wide and apologetic, as they had been when she'd confessed having no memory of who he was. Wincing, he squeezed her fingers and continued quietly, "I don't believe I can lose you, Raine. As selfish as it sounds... I'm afraid it's the only truth I know."

"You won't lose me." Raine sighed softly, having halted now and standing at his side. Standing on tiptoe, she brushed her mouth tenderly against his cheek and murmured, "I'll be okay. The important thing to focus on now is getting to Ozette so we can let Presea and Genis know what happened to our comrades."

"Yes..." Regal agreed quietly, taking a deep breath in an attempt to ease the pain that was growing there. He carefully flexed his hands, eyes narrowing as he took in the surrounding edge of the forest that hid Ozette and Mizuho from their gazes. They were only a few feet away from the entrance to the Gaoracchia Forest, and despite knowing that little would pose a threat to them in the case of monsters, he couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding. "We should proceed with caution... It is very likely that our enemies are awaiting our arrival in the forest, or even in the village itself."

"Very true. It's at times like this that I wish I knew more than a handful of offensive magical spells." Raine muttered quite sourly, holding her staff close to her chest as the two of them neared the wild growth of forest. She resisted the urge to move closer to Regal as the darkness enveloped them both, then she froze in her spot when the silence fell over them. Blinking in confusion, her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness that covered the forest even during the height of the morning, and she whispered, "Why is it... so quiet?"

"It is eerie." Regal muttered wearily, his body tensing for a fight even though he could sense no presences of enemies around them. The silence was deafening, a strange thing for the forest that once teemed with wildlife and monsters that would viciously attack any traveller who stepped foot in their home. He could clearly remember the weeks of travel that the forest had swallowed in their past journey, the monsters had made travel slow and painful. Eyes narrowing in the darkness, he sidled closer to Raine and hissed into her ear, "Be on your guard. There _is_ something here."

Raine stiffened and her hands tightened on her staff, holding it protectively in front of her chest as the very air seemed to crackle with tension. Eyes widening, she realized that the air was indeed crackling, and her hair stood up on end, a sure sign that electrical magic was being used, with them as the target. "Oh my– Regal!"

Regal sensed the same charge the moment she opened her mouth, and without a thought he yanked Raine into his arms and began to focus his mana. He felt her doing the same, and none too soon did a curtain of dark violet energy surround them and the ground began to heave under their feet. "BASTION!"

"FORCE FIELD!"

Two green spheres materialized around the two just as the electricity snarled into action. The ground shook fiercely while the charge blasted holes in the ground and destroyed the wildlife that inhabited the violet circle. Raine swore under her breath, looking around hastily in an attempt to see the magic-user that had attacked them as the spell began to die out. She could hear Regal cursing as well, his mouth pressed against her ear as he held her protectively in the midst of the shields.

Seemingly knowing that its targets had protected themselves, the electricity gave a final hiss of frustration before disappearing altogether, the earth coming back to balance. The violet curtain disappeared, and the two heros broke apart, ready for another attack that would come from any angle.

The blow came from behind but Regal had moved quickly too, hitting the ground and rolling over onto his back, left foot raised to take the blow of the heavy axe in the middle of his greaves. Sparks flew as the axe drew back against the crystalline covers of his Dynast greaves, but Regal hadn't finished and sprung to his feet, lashing out in a roundhouse kick that connected with his enemy's middle. The axe went flying out of their grip, and Raine reacted immediately this time, striking out with the blunt end of her staff to down their attacker before whirling the rod around and placing the sharpened edge to their neck.

Raine breathed heavily, glancing worriedly towards her husband, eyes silently asking if he was injured. Merely shaking his head, he instead stared at the dark-clothed figure that lay under Raine's mercy, physique hidden by the shadows of the forest. Raine spoke evenly but the malice in her voice could not be hidden as she warned their enemy, "Don't move or I will kill you."

"Professor Raine?"

Raine blinked, confused, and her hold on the Crystal Rod loosened in her surprise. Regal looked just as stunned as she was, and he stared at the enemy at their feet. Presea lay completely still on the forest's floor, looking up at them with an equally surprised expression. Immediately Raine withdrew her staff, helping her comrade to her feet, murmuring apologetically, "I'm sorry Presea, we didn't know..."

"We attacked you first, it should be us who apologizes." Presea replied with a wave of her hand, glancing over her shoulder. Her left hand held her stomach where Regal had kicked her but she was ignoring his look of guilt, cupping a hand around her mouth and calling into the darkness, "Genis, it's alright! It was Professor Raine and Regal, it wasn't the Desians! You can come out now with Orochi!" A few moments later, the two in question appeared from the deeper recesses of the forest, Genis leaning heavily on Orochi's arm, his left hand still clenched tightly around the handle of his kendama. Immediately concerned, Presea dashed to his side and took his arm from Orochi, asking worriedly, "Did you reopen the wound in your chest, Genis? You shouldn't have cast such an advanced spell."

"Genis, you're wounded?" Raine asked softly, her voice breaking as she took notice of his bloodstained shirt and the weariness in her younger brother's face. She stepped forward hesitantly, worried that embracing him would only cause him more pain. He smiled at her, face brilliant with cheer at seeing her, and she forgot herself. Hurrying forward, she embraced him tightly, nuzzled against his cheek and murmured softly, "I'm so sorry..."

Presea turned her head away politely from the scene of sibling love, watching Regal's fond smile with one of her own. Nodding her head apologetically towards the duke, she spoke levelly, "I'm sorry for attacking you like we did, we've been quite wound ever since we were attacked in Ozette. Orochi was to escort us to Altamira so we could find you and explain what had happened to us and hopefully find out more information about Sheena and Lloyd."

"You know about Sheena's condition?" Raine questioned curiously, then she glanced towards the stone-faced Orochi and nodded in understanding. Sitting her brother down, she gently peeled back his clothing to examine his wound, frowning a little when she saw the severity of his injury. Her expression drew a dark look from Presea, and this worried her. Shaking her head as she lay Genis back so she could attend to him herself, she said firmly, "It seems like we both have some explaining to do so we can catch up with what has been happening the past week."

Genis let out a quiet breath as his sister began to channel her mana into his half-healed wound, easily healing the lasting damage that the others hadn't been able to fix. Sighing with some relief, he explained the story to the waiting couple, only pausing for a breath or to let out a curse when his skin pulled just a little too much under his sister's experienced hands. Ending the explanation, he sighed quietly and muttered, "We were on our way to find you, but I guess now we can just head straight to Meltokio and see Zelos, Colette and Sheena."

Raine's eyebrows furrowed together, and she forced her words to wait in her head as she examined the wound she had been working on. He would be scarred for life, and the thought made her wince but she was grateful that her talents had enabled her to heal the lasting damage that the healers before her hadn't been able to fix. Pulling her brother's shirt down over the wound, she helped him sit up then said quietly, "So this Auin and the woman, Tasogare, correct...?" She looked over to Presea for confirmation, and the lumberjack gave a quick nod, her lips tightening into a frown as Raine continued, "There is internal discord in our enemy's ranks, that at least is a pleasing thought. The message that Auin delivered is one that we know well however, it was left in George's blood in Regal's office."

"George is dead?" Presea asked sharply, eyes widening in shock when she looked from Raine's grave expression to the sadness haunting Regal's dark eyes. Gritting her teeth, she fought to control her anger and sadness, finally letting out a low breath mixed with several dark expletives. Narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms and spoke in a dark voice, "So this message is definitely from the Desians then, and the attacks were to get our attention."

"They definitely did that." Genis grunted sarcastically, wincing when he stretched too much and the pull of his fresh skin warned him not to move. Rubbing at his forehead, he shook his head and glanced around at his comrades, trying to clear his pain-filled mind to grasp at the facts. "They killed George, burned down your house, tortured Sheena, attacked Zelos and then attacked us, all to get our attention? They know how we work then, they're trying to get us angry. What if they're trying to get us to gather in one place so they can kill us there? They've got the power to do it, the fact that we're barely alive now proves it."

"I don't enjoy the idea that I'm only alive due to their mercy." Regal muttered venomously, watching as Raine scowled in agreement. Presea looked downright furious, however her anger was muted by her concern for Genis as she aided him to his feet, her hand straying protectively on his shoulder when he stumbled. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, Regal looked over at the silent Orochi and asked quietly, "Has Mizuho heard any whispers of the Desians regrouping?"

"No, we have not. From what we know, when your group broke up the remaining factions of Desians, that was the last we'd heard of them." Orochi replied negatively, though his expression was hidden by the blue mask he wore across his face. Dark eyes flashing in the shadowed forest, he continued fiercely, "It is a shame on our village that our chief and Lloyd went missing without our knowledge, but it does give us a clue to our enemies. They are intelligent enough to know the value of information and are keeping very silent."

"We're heading in blind, which only makes this more dangerous." Raine sighed quietly, also getting to her feet. Her fingers and toes felt numb from her spell-casting, and she clenched them absently to get the blood and mana flowing again. Turning to Orochi, she said gently, "I think it is best for you to return to Mizuho. Sheena is in good hands, and it's imperative that you and your village has their ears open to make sure that nothing slips past us again. We cannot afford to be deaf again if the stakes have risen."

Orochi paused, clearly wanting to argue, but the half-elf's logic wasn't something he could deny. He turned to Presea, the one who had first requested his company. She nodded apologetically, clearly siding with Raine, and the ninja simply nodded in resignation. "I will report to Vice Chiefs Igaguri and Tiga on my return immediately. Gods willing, I will also return to Meltokio sometime soon in the future to check in on our Chief's status. My thanks for allowing me to return home."

Raine nodded while the others said a hasty farewell, and she watched in silence as Orochi disappeared into the depths of the forest, the darkness swallowing up his form in seconds. Turning to Regal, Presea and her brother, her hand tightened on her staff as she spoke firmly, "I'm still not certain about all of us travelling to Meltokio, if our enemy wants us to reassemble it would be best to do the opposite. However, from what Zelos wrote to me, Sheena is in need of healing and I want to get to her as soon as possible and time isn't our ally."

"Why not split into pairs?" Presea suggested, drawing the curious gazes of her friends. Gesturing to the still unsteady Genis, she explained calmly, "Professor Raine is right, it's dangerous for all of us to go to Meltokio together, if that's what our enemy desires. Professor Raine and I can venture to Meltokio, retrieve Sheena and Zelos, then leave to a more isolated area, while Colette, Genis and Regal go somewhere else until we decide what to do then."

"As sound as that is, I would rather not separate after everything that has happened. There is more safety in numbers." Regal disagreed sharply, eyes narrowing as the sight of his home in flames flashed in front of him. He had no desire to be out of arm's reach from Raine again, and while he understood the worry that strained on them all, he would go with his instincts on this decision. "We should stay together for protection, who else can we trust but ourselves?"

"As much as I hate to say it, Regal has a valid point... It was dangerous to be separated before, no doubt it will be as dangerous now." Raine murmured unhappily, frowning as she took in the cold expression on Presea's face. While she hadn't strayed from Genis' side, she noticed that the lumberjack wasn't looking directly into his face, a familiar look of shame and guilt weighing her down. 'I wonder if she blames herself for what happened to him... It seems like her to do so...' Coughing silently in an attempt to avoid asking the question that burned on her lips, she turned to Genis and asked softly, "Are you sure you're fit to travel? I may have healed the damage but your body will be in pain for a while..."

"I can travel Raine, I've been beat up worse than this." Genis waved off her worry, his eyes flashing ferociously as he clenched his fists. His chest did ring out with pain when he made a sudden movement, but he was beyond caring about the muscle memory that hurt him. Grunting quietly under his breath, he added aloud, "Though it'd be nice if we could use the Rheairds instead of walking all the way to Meltokio."

"If we take to the air we won't run into any enemies on the ground at least." Presea offered, clearly concerned that the travel would worsen his already fragile condition. She turned beseechingly to the physically older members of the group, but didn't dare to say any more, worried that Genis would take offense because of her concern.

"That is true..." Raine let out a soft breath of resignation, she knew that she didn't have the strength in her to argue with Presea's concern, especially when she felt it so violently herself. She knew already that giving away their location wasn't exactly something to fret over, the Desians had planned all of this and she didn't doubt her suspicions. Hands raised, she turned to the lumberjack and asked quietly, "Do you have your Rheairds?"

"Yes, the both of us do. I assume the same for yourself and Regal?"

"Yes."

"Then let us go."

* * *

**Meltokio**

Sheena knew she would get scolded horribly for her actions, but she couldn't help the weariness in her legs that demanded motion. She had been denied freedom for much too long, and even if it was for her health she wasn't going to sit in bed and behave. So the moment Colette and Zelos had left her to her own devices, she'd gotten to her feet and began stretching, testing out the endurance of muscles long since forgotten about.

Her body felt thin, remarkably weak in this strange half-state she was in. It disgusted her to know how much strength she had lost during the months of torture she'd endured, though she understood how it had happened. She stared bitterly at her legs as she stood on them, clenching her hands slowly, examining each finger as it stretched then curled. It was almost a thrilling thing to watch her body move so freely, without restraint.

She let out a little breath, hobbling over awkwardly to the window, watching the outside with a wistful smile. The last few months were a blur to her, she barely remembered how she had been caught, the darkness of her prison had been absolute. The fresh air looked oddly enticing, and the ninja sighed softly as she allowed herself to accept the inevitable. She would never be able to look at the world the same way she used to.

Her chest ached with a familiar pain that had nothing to do with the wounds that Zelos had treated just a few hours before. Her eyes burned with tears that she refused to shed, but even then her hand raised to rub at them anyway. 'Lloyd...' Coughing because her throat closed, she grit down on her teeth and continued to stare out into the city street. 'I'd give anything to know that he's alright, that he's breathing... Dammit... Why did they let me go, and not him? That... that angel..'

It was dim but it was still there in her mind, the memory of strong arms hoisting her into the air and wind whipping through her hair as someone raced across the land with her. She'd opened her eyes only once, and stared up hazily into a pair of surprised honey-coloured eyes that calmed her anxiousness in the middle of her suffering. A gentle hand that prodded her injuries and a quiet voice that was absent of emotion but held meaning in the ancient nuances of her speech.

"_My apologies."_

'Why did she... apologize?' Sheena frowned and closed her eyes, pressing her fingertips against her temples as though she could force the answer out. Nothing happened, not that she expected it to, and the ninja shook her head in annoyance. Gritting her teeth together only intensified the pressure in her head, warning her that she was pushing her limits already. 'Dammit, why can't I remember?! Anything might help me find Lloyd again...'

Her hands slammed down loudly on the windowsill, her frustration reaching its peak in the midst of her emotional upheaval. Her mind was spinning with memories that she couldn't reach, and through the dance her heart clenched tightly inside of her chest until fresh tears sprung into her eyes. She could hear him yelling for her in the back of her mind, ordering her to run in a pained snarl that she just couldn't obey.

She slammed her hands down a second time, closing her eyes tightly to stop her tears from flooding freely over her face. Her heart ached fiercely and she was furious at her mind's betrayal. Lloyd was gone and she had no idea what was happening to him, and only her memories would allow her to find him again, to make up for leaving him alone. Yelling hoarsely, she balled her hands into fists and pressed them angrily against her temples, "Dammit Sheena, _remember_! Remember for Lloyd's sake! They're in here, why can you just remember!? DAMMIT!"

"Stop it."

Sheena whirled as quickly as her injured body would allow, and was surprised to see Colette standing in the doorway, her expression firm. Somewhat abashed that she had been overheard, the ninja quickly turned her face away from Colette's, swearing inwardly over her lapse in control. Hugging her arms around her stomach, she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the cold glass of the window in a vain attempt to soothe her frustration. The mark on the angel's face burned into Sheena's mind, reminding her harshly that she had caused the injury to the girl who had spent a near week at her side, tending to her injuries as dutifully as a mother.

"Sheena, look at me." Colette's voice was gentle as ever, but there was a strange new tinge of rarely heard anger in her tone. Sheena hesitated for only a moment, then she turned from the window to see the weary expression of her younger comrade, the girl she had shared everything with during their journey. Colette's eyes blazed with fire, and she spoke slowly, almost as if she had been rehearsing for this moment, "Stop blaming yourself. Lloyd would hate to see you doing this to yourself. Zelos told you already that you probably won't remember where you two were held because of the sedation you were under, so just stop this. It won't do you any good to continue making yourself upset."

Sheena swore quietly under her breath, wincing as Colette's words struck her chest and increased the aching in her heart. She was right, her mind wasn't blurred enough by the pain to deny the logic, but she couldn't accept it at the same time. Hugging herself all the tighter as if it could stop her from falling apart and to her knees, she knew only one thing that kept her sane and she whispered shakily, "I want to find him. I have to, I _have_ to find him... because I..."

The blond angel sighed tiredly and walked across the room to Sheena's side, winding her arms soothingly around her waist. Though Sheena didn't return the embrace, Colette hugged her anyway and murmured softly into her hair, "You're in love with him. I know you are, and it's okay. We're going to find him Sheena, and you can be together again. You have to have faith in this and you have to stop blaming yourself for what happened. They let you live for a reason, and you're going to keep on living to find Lloyd. It will be alright."

"How can you think like that? What keeps you so optimistic?" Sheena whispered back gruffly, angling herself so she could dry her face without moving Colette's arms from around her. She savoured this friendly hug and the comfort it gave her, and even though she knew her tomboyish facade had broken down a long time ago, her pride demanded she try to remain indifferent.

Colette let out a soft chuckle and then slowly led her away from the window and back to the bed, using silence for an answer that she may not have had. When Sheena had settled back on the edge of the bed, Colette sat down beside her and folded her hands in her lap, looking up at the ceiling with a thoughtful frown. "I don't really know why I'm being so optimistic either... I guess it's because I have to be. I know Lloyd, I grew up with him, he's strong and I don't doubt that he'll find a way to survive. Just like how you're strong too, and you're here and okay. So I know that things will work out."

"I don't get you Colette..." Sheena mumbled softly, shaking her head but somehow the words had brought a smile to her face. The blond angel smiled in return, and her hand, which had placed itself overtop of her own, squeezed gently. Letting out a sigh that she hadn't known that she was holding in, she scratched absently at her neck, her voice thoughtful, "But I guess that's what I like about you, the fact that I don't totally understand you. That, and you're a bit too nice for your own good."

"I'm not..." Colette's voice faded into an inaudible murmur, and when she saw Sheena examining her with worried curiosity, she raised her hands and pasted a smile onto her face. "It's nothing." She abruptly changed the subject when Sheena raised a disbelieving eyebrow, wanting to banish the concern, "Are you hungry or in pain anywhere? Zelos said he's ready to give another shot of First-Aid if you need it."

"No, I don't want to push the idiot any further. He's been exhausted." Sheena replied with a shake, frowning as she thought of the dark shadows that had begun to form under Zelos' normally so cheery azure-coloured eyes. Though he never made a point of complaining about it, she knew that his constant healings were taking a toll on his body. He barely gave himself enough time to replenish a quarter of his mana before he was at it again, attempting to soothe her pain. What made it the worst was to watch him struggle so fiercely and get next to nowhere. Many of her superficial wounds had recovered thanks to his spells, but the breaks, fractures and muscle damage had barely even begun to have been touched upon. "I can manage until Raine comes, and even if she doesn't, I don't want him healing me again."

"Zelos won't like that..." Colette mused quietly, but she couldn't find it in herself to urge Sheena against the decision. She had been becoming increasingly worried for the angel's health, he rarely ate and spent almost the past week or two pouring over any documents that even mentioned the words healing in them. A stab of guilt rushed through her stomach, and she winced at the pain. 'I love them both so much but I... I don't want Zelos to get any worse, but Sheena needs treatment...'

"Zelos doesn't like a lot of things, he can deal with me being bull-headed for a few days." Sheena waved off the comment with a roll of her eyes, then she halted her speech when she caught sight of the troubled expression that Colette was wearing. Raising eyebrows, she was unsure of what to do to pose her worries. While their relationship had never been awkward or secretive, after the past few days she had begun to worry that Colette had, or was, growing to resent her. She began chewing on her lower lip, frowning deeply when the thought caused another stab of heartache. 'Damn my stupidity.'

The silence seemed to stretch on for forever, neither female knowing what to say and mulling over their internal worries. Sheena was burdened with the guilt and gratitude that struggled for dominance inside of her, and she had no idea how to reach out to the girl that she cared for so dearly. Colette's face was a mask of troubled anxiety, and she dug deep in a desperate attempt to find words that would organize her thoughts into coherent speech. Neither of the two had a chance to unburden themselves however, interrupted when Zelos' voice called for them from behind the door.

"Colette, Sheena, Yuan is here. He wants to talk to you two. Apparently he's got news for us about Lloyd. You better come downstairs quick, I don't think it's good news."

* * *

**Asgard**

**Ruins of Balacruf**

Tasogare was silent as she took in a deep breath of the cool night air, her honey-gold eyes casually searching the dark velvet sky. She could hear nothing but silence from where she sat, perched elegantly on top of a fallen piece of the ancient temple that had once housed the spirits of the wind. Her fingers absently stroked the hilt of her sword, and she closed her eyes as though she could simply fall asleep.

A gentle clinking noise caught her attention however a few minutes later, and immediately Tasogare turned stiff. Turning in the direction of the sound, she faced the man-made hole in the left wall where she had sent her partner inside a few hours beforehand. A figure appeared a few moments later, holding a small sack over their shoulder before they came fully outside. The angel's lips twitched into what could have resembled a smile, and she called conversationally, "So I take it you found what you were looking for?"

"Thirty-seven Exspheres and twenty-three Cruxis Crystals. Sixty in all." Lloyd answered her robotically, and with a flick of his wrist he sent the bag sailing upwards towards the angel. She caught it by the neck casually, weighing it expertly before she placed it down gently on the rock beside her. She looked down on him with that same sadistic expression, and he bristled instinctively. Fighting the urge to snarl at her, he instead bowed his head and waited for her next cruel chain of commands.

"You hid them quite well if there's only a double-digit amount in each cache." Tasogare mused casually, examining the angry expression that her forced partner was wearing. She wouldn't admit to being pleased about the situation either, but unlike him, she had long come to terms with her own identity. She was a monster of her own making and was quite settled with herself. He remained silent, refusing to reply to any and all of her barbs. Ignoring his attitude, she continued as though she was making her own soliloquy, "I assume that the temples aren't the only places that you used in order to hide your collection, but that of course means that it'll take even longer to find and recover the crystals..."

"I'll lead you to the caches but you better keep up your end of our deal, angel." Lloyd hissed at her, eyes flashing bloodlust. There was simply no reprieve from his hatred, and what was worse was the fact that the both of them knew it. As well as he understood his position, no amount of threatening, pain or enticement could make him enjoy what he was doing.

"You already killed a man, Irving, even if we didn't keep to our part of the bargain, you would without a doubt return to us." Tasogare replied in a bored tone, waving a gloved hand in a vague gesture. She could almost feel his gaze burning holes into her back. Rolling her shoulders back lazily, she added with quiet deadliness, "There is no return from bloodied palms, I assumed that you and of all of your band would know of this fact already."

Lloyd clutched his hands into tight fists, closing his eyes as he absorbed the blow to the still-fresh wound. Thankfully, the angel said no more, as if she knew that her point was made. In the weeks that he had been chained to her side, he had learned of her cold intelligence, and it made the warrior weary to know that his captor was quite adept at what she did. His strength returned and his weapons on him, he had fancied the idea of duelling her, however too many risks kept his swords sheathed at his waist.

"A wise choice, I'm quite impressed with you. You're not as rash as you were when you began your journey." Tasogare's voice was sincere, but the note of mocking laughter rang out loud and clear in Lloyd's ears. He looked up to meet her steely eyes and received a surprise when he saw that there was a genuine respect there. "You know me well enough to make the decision not to fight me, because I will not show you mercy. You're a tool, and tools don't fight their masters."

"I'm nobody's tool. I'm going to be your killer, and you better remember that!"

"Keep living with that goal in mind, and one day you may very well end up bringing about the end of my very long life." Tasogare chuckled softly, without that usual hint of mockery. His furious gaze pierced her indifferent one, and she was reminded quite violently how strong he truly was. He had nearly broken her ankle after weeks of cruel and uninterrupted torture, and now he was at full power and she knew he had the strength, and will, to kill her. "However, today isn't that day, so you'll need to hold back that volatile temper of yours. Sixty crystals aren't enough for one day, so we'll depart immediately."

Lloyd let out a soft grunt of a sigh, cringing as he dug through his mental map to find the closest cache of crystals to the ruins. Forcing his face to be stone so not to show the pain he felt at selling out all of his hard work, he answered her coldly, "Then Thoda Geyser is our next destination. There's a big store of crystals at the seal." He caught her eyes gazing behind him to the seal that they had just desecrated, and his mind spun thoughtfully. 'The Summon Spirits are free again now that... Sheena's gone. Is it possible that Tasogare will make pacts with them for Yggdrasil?'

Tasogare sensed his curious eyes on her hands, and instinctively she clenched them into fists and looked up to meet his eyes. The hatred still remained as clear and hot as ever, but she could also see the burning desire to question her there also. Deciding to sate his curiosity for the sake of her own boredom, she asked flippantly, "What is it you want? Shall I explain something to you about our master's plotting?"

He bristled at the plural use of Yggdrasil's mastery, but he ignored it since she was offering to give him answers. Part of him was hoping wildly that he could somehow use whatever information she could give him, but he already knew that it was reaching for hope that didn't exist. She would tell him nothing of supreme use, she was dutiful even if she was cold. Deciding that he wanted the answers anyway, he gestured to the ruins and the seal that lay underneath the stone and asked, "Why did you leave the seal alone? Couldn't you make a pact with Sylph?"

To his surprise, Tasogare looked quite amused by his suggestion and chuckled quietly to herself for a few moments before she gave him an answer. Shaking her head mildly, she fixed him with an honest stare and answered him lightly, "You overestimate my abilities Irving. I have no knowledge of pact-making, and even if I wanted to, it would be impossible. I forfeited my ability to use elven magic when I underwent my trials to become an angel, a very long time ago. Yggdrasil does have an interest in reestablishing pacts with the Summon Spirits, however I would play no role in this."

'She can't cast magic?' Lloyd blinked in confusion, watching her face as she turned her back on the seal and started adjusting invisible creases in her clothing. Her words made little sense to him as he flashed back to the training he had watched his father and later, Zelos, preform during their months of travelling. Both the old angel, and the Tethe'allan Chosen seemed perfectly capable of using magic to their advantage and hadn't mentioned once about a forfeit for angelic abilities. 'That doesn't make any sense. And she mentioned "trials"... was she a Chosen that was a failed vessel for Martel a thousand years ago?'

'Who is this angel?'

**AN**

**O.M.G. What has it been, like a month or two since I've updated? Jesus! Writer's block is the BIGGEST pain in the ass, EVER! (Goes to hide under a rock for a few days) Ughn. I cannot believe this bullshit. Life, for me, lately has been one big troll after another, and I'd like to attribute that to my lack of updating but that'd just be making up an excuse. Meh. I will apologize for it but writing can't be rushed and though it fails, it's the truth of life, at least for me. So thank you for taking your time and being patient with me, and hopefully getting over this huge hill will give me a chance to continue onwards with lesser bumps in the road! **

**PS: Another set of apologies, but no reader replies this time around, next chapter though, promise!**

**Sky**


	8. Unlikely Surprises

****

Meltokio

The large room was silent, and Yuan tiredly looked from face to weary face of the comrades who had saved the newly combined land of Aselia. The Sage siblings and their group had arrived almost right on time, having many questions and a few answers of their own. Zelos had been quick to round them all into the main room which was being used as a meeting spot, and had made Yuan stand alone to make his announcement first. Now, he could see the pain that pinched both Sheena and Genis' face, and the guilt that darkened the eyes of Presea, Raine and Regal. Colette was staring worriedly at all of them in turn, but only Zelos seemed to have a master of his emotion, refusing to look up from the floor to meet the gaze of anyone. He knew exactly who wanted to speak first, but he held his own tongue, waiting for one of the seven to initiate the meeting.

It surprised him then when he saw a hand tentively inch into the air, and for a moment Yuan wasn't sure whether or not to smile or take the young Chosen seriously. She was biting down on her lower lip, her eyes worried and wide which immediately told him that she was intently serious. Taking a breath in an attempt to keep his composure, the ancient half-elf fixed her with a firm gaze and said quietly, "Chosen Brunel, this isn't a classroom, you can speak freely."

Colette pinked slightly in sheepish embarrassment but her eyes were quick to regain their seriousness. She sat up straight, her hand unconsciously reaching to her left so she could take a hold of Zelos'. Her voice was surprisingly clear despite her obvious stress when she spoke up, voicing the thoughts of her friends, "You said you had information about Lloyd. What do you know about him?"

Yuan's cerulean eyes flickered with an intense emotion, and his gaze quickly jumped from Colette's anxious face to the petrified one of Sheena's. He could clearly see the fear and concern in the ninja's tawny eyes, and it was reflected in the older and younger faces of their comrades. Careful to keep his voice level and composed, he warned them stonily, "You may not like what you are about to hear... I believe seeing the surveillance tape may help ease you into the truth. It is very easy to be fooled by your hearing, but your sight is another matter... So..."

Turning his back to the seated seven, he silently opened the portable machine he had taken with him from the Renegade base on the outskirts of Flanoir. He could hear the heroes shifting uncomfortably on the couch, obviously stricken by his quiet warning. His keen ears picked up the tapping of Colette's feet on the carpet, the hitched breathing of Genis and the audible gritting of teeth from Regal at the opposite end of the room. Carefully adjusting the screen so that it faced the others, he set it down on the table and again turned back to their anxious expressions. He wasn't entirely sure why he wanted to warn them a second time, why it bothered him so deeply after a near four thousand years of life, but he spoke anyway. "You _will not_ like what you see or hear."

"Play the tape, Yuan." Raine ordered him hoarsely, her eyes narrowed and teeth clenched together tightly. She had a strange sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, foreboding, but somehow she managed to keep a tight lid on it. Icy azure stared into sympathetic cerulean, and she repeated herself fiercely, "Play it!"

The room fell silent as the machine beeped loudly, and all eyes turned immediately towards the silver screen that was now registering a dark black colour. The image slowly came into focus, a fixed angle from the corner of a room, looking down intensely at the floor of a darkened room, illuminated by a lamp on a desk.

"_Why?"_

Sheena jerked visibly at the sound of Neil's voice calling out the question, and she leaned forwards to get a better view of the room. She cursed however when she saw that the screen was angled in such a way that the figure Neil was addressing was out of sight. However the governor-general's face was clearly in view, he was wearing an expression of surprise and horror, one that effectively mirrored the faces of the rest of them.

"_You don't want to know the answer to that question."_

"Oh my gosh, Lloyd? What in the world?!" Colette was on her feet in seconds, hands flying up to cover her mouth as if she had just realized she had cried out aloud. She felt Zelos getting to his feet beside her, and without thinking she grabbed his arm and pulled him close to keep herself standing. Her voice faltered in fear, and she whimpered, "Th-That can't be Lloyd, can it?"

"That's impossible." Regal muttered, his eyes narrowing as his mouth thinned into lines. His body went cold, a strange understanding washing over him as he watched the scene unfold. The words that Lloyd spoke coldly to Neil were muted in his ears, as though he didn't want to know what they were saying. 'No... This cannot be possible...'

"_Kill me and get it over with, you bastard!"_

"This can't be real." Genis hissed in alarm, his gaze swiftly going from the screen to Yuan's stoic face. It dawned on his immediately that Yuan had viewed the tape before, he wasn't looking at the screen yet he visibly flinched as the words continued to shoot out in that familiar voice. His stomach dropped to his feet, and he drew farther back into the couch, wincing when the fresh skin on his chest pulled. "Please tell me this isn't real...!"

Presea jerked as the sound of metal slicing through flesh and bound reverberated through the silent room. She wanted to close her eyes, but kept them wide open as the sword was pulled from Neil's body and his corpse collapsed to the ground.

"NO!"

Sheena jumped as Colette's shriek tore through the room, but she couldn't react quickly enough to come to her aid. Zelos had her in his arms and out of the room within seconds, and Yuan quickly stepped aside and shut the doors to keep the sound inside. The summoner didn't realize she was shaking until Regal's large hand came down to rest on her bandaged forearm, and after shooting him a thankful glance, she looked back at the small screen in time to hear the last words delivered.

"_I'm sorry, my old friend."_The screen sparked silver before it faded to black, turning off with a quiet beeping noise. Yuan closed the machine silently before he turned back to the shell-shocked group. Sheena was trembling uncontrollably, gripping her arms to her chest in an effort to calm down. Genis looked dangerously close to retching, one hand tightly closed over his mouth, the other gripping at his chest convulsively. Presea turned her head to face the wall, hands clenching and unclenching robotically as Raine closed her eyes and raised her fingers to her temples.

Regal took in a deep breath, turning back towards Yuan with an icy expression. For the angel's credit, he returned the stare but with one that was much more sympathetic yet detached. He stood up from his seat, an action that appeared truly threatening, and he asked in a quietly dangerous voice, "That tape... Everything on that tape, it was real, wasn't it?"

"Nothing was doctored. We, that is, the Renegades, received that tape from the government of Palmacosta a few short hours after the discovery of the corpse." Yuan replied firmly, meeting the narrowed eyes of the duke with honest and cold ones of his own. He continued with quiet formality, "Also, voice recognition software was used to identify Neil, and Lloyd... Those are the facts."

"Wait one damned second Yuan, are you telling me that Lloyd actually murdered–" Sheena exclaimed fiercely, before cutting herself off when she saw the saddened expression that the angel in question gave her. A vicious chill ripped up her spine and her mouth dried instantly, turning her voice into a hoarse whisper, "It's not... there has to be... it just can't be..."

"That software, it can't be infallible." Genis whispered, his voice strained with pain that was both purely physical and emotional. He looked almost pleadingly at Yuan for his words to be proved true, even if he was reaching. His naturally intelligent mind had already looked over the options and knew the most likely choice, but it killed him to even admit it. Still, he wanted to reach out and deny that option, just to keep his sanity intact for the short moment in time. "There's always a margin for error, isn't there?!"

"Of course there is always a margin for error, however..." Yuan let out a weary breath, raising a hand to cover his eyes as though he could fool himself into thinking that he was trapped in a sick nightmare. He continued through grit teeth, his voice remarkably strained through his normally stoic composure, "I would not be showing you this if I believed that it was doctored in any way. Neil's corpse is currently in the Renegade's custody, and... upon preliminary research, the wound appears to be inflicted by Flamberge, which as well all know, is in Lloyd's care."

"His swords were taken from him by the Desians, it could be easy to assume that someone else is using Flamberge and impersonating him." Sheena retorted venomously, getting to her feet and glaring daggers at both the screen and the messenger. A fury she had never known was surging through her and demanded violence, even if she was simply too exhausted to carry it out. "Lloyd was imprisoned with me, they wouldn't just let him out after everything they tried to break us! It makes no sense, and why would he ever kill Neil anyway?! He was our friend!"

"Why would they spare you and keep Lloyd alive? Why kidnap the two of you in the first place when it would've been so much easier to take one of you instead of both? A lot of the motives of this group makes little sense." Yuan countered just as fiercely, though the anger flickered from his face as quickly as it had come. Appearing honestly apologetic, he sighed again and muttered tiredly, "I do not know the things behind what I have been given, I can only tell you the facts that I have. From what information that we have received, I can only reach three conclusions; Neil, the governor-general of Palmacosta has been murdered. Second, the weapon that murdered him causes injuries that are reminiscent of the wounds Flamberge can inflict. Third, Lloyd's voice has been identified, and it can be assumed that he was the one who murdered Neil. All of the evidence supports this theory."

"I refuse to believe that Lloyd would ever harm a former comrade." Presea announced firmly, though her pale face registered that she was still in shock from what she had just seen. She looked from Yuan's tired expression to the fierce one on Sheena's pale face, and shook her head. "My faith in Lloyd is unshakable, he simply could not kill Neil."

"Lloyd, as all of us are, is perfectly capable of committing murder." Raine spoke up softly, and all faces turned to her with varying amounts of shock. She looked apologetically into the eyes of her brother and the summoner who had travelled so earnestly with the swordsman in question but continued with a strange firmness, "He could very well have killed Neil, the evidence that Yuan has presented us with is _very_ convincing. We may not have a motive, but we do have everything else needed to secure the truth. We can't simply rule out Lloyd because of our affection for him."

"Professor Sage!" Colette's voice rang out clearly from the doorway, and her eyes were wide in shock at the words she had just heard. Zelos stood silently at her side, but his cerulean eyes flamed with anger and disbelief, a less vocal but certainly loud reaction in and of itself. "How could you say that about Lloyd, Professor? You know that he's not a murderer!"

"What I knew about Lloyd two years ago may not be true now." Raine replied levelly, though her expression seemed especially fragile on her face as she spoke with cool rationality. She looked in turn at the surrounded comrades who had travelled alongside her and the young man in question, and she could see the different emotions that burned in their eyes. Without words, she knew exactly what they were thinking, and if they agreed with her or wished to banish her to the depths of hell for even suggesting that her student, their dear friend, could commit such a sin.

Sheena looked positively bloodthirsty, her eyes radiating defiant fury despite the pained exhaustion that paled her creamy skin. Genis, his face still gaunt with pain, was wearing an expression of hesitancy and sadness, he knew that her statement had merit but he refused to believe it himself if he had the choice. Presea, so normally stoic, was looking almost angry, her arms folded tightly across her chest and eyes narrowed to fierce slits. Colette seemed to be in pain, her hands also clenched into tight fists and lower lip trembling, whether from anger or the sadness she was experiencing over Neil's death, the professor didn't know. Her husband's face was strangely composed, eyes tightly shut as though to avoid revealing his innermost feelings, something that didn't surprise her. It was the look on Zelos' face that truly stunned her however, while there was fury in his blazing cerulean eyes, there was also sign of resignation, definitely something Raine had not been expecting.

A tense silence had fallen on all of them, and they all knew a wall had suddenly sprung up between themselves. Raine let out a very weak breath, seeming to be resigned to the hatred that was being directed at her, especially from the injured woman she had come to heal. Deciding to play peace-maker, at least for the time being that she could manage it, she murmured, "Sheena, continuing this conversation while you're still in such a way is not in yours, or anyone's, best interests. Seeing as I came here for the purpose of tending to your injuries..."

Sheena didn't answer immediately, her eyes still frozen chips of tawny-coloured ice but her own body betrayed her by perking up at the idea. Crossing her arms tightly around her middle, she took a glance around the room and her face pinked slightly when she realized that now all eyes had turned to her. Not wanting the rest of her friends to know just how harshly she had been treated, she lowered her chin and mumbled a weary, "Yeah, okay... Can we go upstairs?"

"Certainly." Raine replied with a nod, and she got slowly to her feet, waiting for Sheena to show her the way. She realized quite quickly that the ninja was still having difficulty walking in a normal pace, and without even thinking about it, the professor slowed her feet to make up for it. Leaving the room behind, Raine caressed the smooth handle of her staff, a small frown making its way to her mouth as Sheena followed her silently.

"Where are you feeling the most pain?"

"It's everywhere, my entire body... it hurts." Sheena answered her quietly, casting her gaze to her feet as though she'd be able to block out the pain that way. Absently rubbing at her arms even though the action pulled at her still-healing skin, she added weakly, knowing that it was imperative for Raine to know what she was dealing with if she was to successfully heal, "The wounds on my back though, I can feel those the worst, it's almost like my skin is on fire sometimes. Zelos tried hard, I know he did, it practically killed him, but... a lot of what happened there, it's still..."

"They pushed your body to its limits, it truly is a miracle that you survived without immediate treatment." Raine finished for her, her voice remarkably gentle as she placed her hand lightly on her shoulder, aiding her up the last few stairs to the second floor. Her eyes narrowed slightly however as she saw Sheena purse her lips, and despite herself, her brain worked before her heart could stop her mouth, "Unless it wasn't some accident. Whoever did this to you, did it with full knowledge that the wounds they inflicted wouldn't endanger your life. It's impossible for the same torturer to confirm that you were dead, if they worked so hard to keep you alive while inflicting pain."

"So they spared me when they could have killed me." Sheena finished with a hiss, clearly displeased with the idea. She stalked the last few steps into her room, all but throwing herself onto the cot to await her treatment. Her anger bubbled away unhappily inside of her, assaulting her already battered pride until she was sure that it had become nonexistent. 'Damn... I survived because my enemy took pity on me, is that what it really came down to? I can't believe this... All of my training, all of my willpower, none of it mattered in the end, I'm alive because of a mercy I was shown. I'd rather have died than live because of that, it's a shame on my being a ninja of Mizuho.'

Raine read the signs of anger and distress in the young woman's eyes, and the professor felt for her lost pride. She had felt the same way when she had realized that she was only alive because her enemies had left her with an escape route when her home was sent up in flames. However... "Sheena, our being alive means much more than our feelings of pride, or shame. You survived, and whether or not it was an enemy's mercy or by some miracle, we must be grateful for it. Because we are alive, because of these circumstances, we can find out the truth and carry onwards to protect our homes and our loved ones. You can't do that if your life is snuffed out, correct?"

"You know, I really hate it when you're right." Sheena muttered darkly, closing her eyes tightly in a vain attempt to block out her surroundings. She could faintly hear Raine stepping closer, and the soft rustling of fabric as she rolled up her sleeves. A few moments of silence passed, and befuddled, Sheena opened her eyes to catch the strangely hesitant expression on Raine's face. "Is there something wrong?"

The professor didn't answer at first, her expression plain and fearful, one that Sheena had seen only rarely. Her hands extended in front of her, she was staring at her fingers like she had never seen them before. After a moment, she looked up to meet Sheena's curious eyes, then her voice seemed to tremble as she began, "I... I don't– "

"RAINE! COME QUICK!"

Both women jerked as if they'd been struck, and Sheena bolted to her feet as Raine spun on her heel to dash downstairs, where the scream had originated from. Despite her injuries, the ninja followed closely behind her professor, adrenalin building in her blood as she cleared the stairs two at a time. Her momentum was her undoing, she tripped down the last step and crashed into the wall, only to freeze when she saw what had sparked the sudden chaos.

"Oh my g... G-Genis!"

Presea was on her knees, her hands hovering fearfully over the convulsing form of their youngest comrade. Blood pooled from the wound in his chest that she had thought had been healed, and a thin stream of the liquid trickled from the corner of his mouth as he stared, unseeingly, at the ceiling above. Colette was staring fearfully at the scene, clutching at Zelos' arm to keep him from lunging forward in an effort to heal the wound. Her voice was hysterical as she exclaimed when he tried to yank himself away, "No Zelos, you can't! You don't have enough mana, you'll kill yourself!"

"He's dying dammit, I can't just sit here and watch it!" Zelos shouted back, only for her hands to tighten like iron braces around his chest. He struggled but to no avail, and Sheena was shocked to see crystalline tears shining in his eyes as he tried to get to Genis' side. "Let me go!"

"Professor!" Presea's voice stuck harshly in her throat when she cried out, pale blue eyes staring in horror at the frame of the healer. Raine didn't move from where she had in arrived, clutching at the railing to support herself, face a picture of shocked terror. Not understanding what had made her freeze when her brother was in so much peril, she called in hopes of snapping her from her daze, "_Professor_! Genis needs you!"

"I..."

"Stand aside." Regal cut in without pause, gently shouldering his way past Colette and Zelos to reach the sides of their two smallest comrades. His eyes darkened with focus and he raised his hands to hover them over Genis' inert form, charging his mana until bright green sparks began to flicker around his fingertips. His voice was hoarse and straining as he hissed the name of his spell, and immediately his mana began to pour into the open and bleeding wound, "Grand Healer...!"

Presea, who had paled significantly in the strained moments, sat up on her knees and leaned protectively over him. Sparks of Regal's mana danced almost playfully around the freshly torn skin that Raine had summoned, sealing the wound shut and quickly drying the blood that had escaped while replenishing the volume that he had lost. Watching colour return to his face, the hunter let out a breath of relief, crumpling forward until her head was resting on his bloodied chest. "Oh thank Martel... Thank you Regal, thank you so much..."

Regal didn't answer, instead he gently took a hold of Genis' now unconscious form and, after a moment so Presea could right herself, hoisted it into his arms. Presea was stood at attention at his side, ready to follow him wherever he was going to take Genis. Cradling his brother-in-law with an expertise that surprised everyone in the room, he finally turned to look seriously at the stunned expression that his wife was wearing. "Raine..."

"I... I..." Raine mumbled, staring from her brother's peacefully sleeping form to her own shaking hands. At first there was a strange beat of silence, then she looked up to meet her husband's eyes with tears shining in her own. Shaking her head from side to side, she whispered brokenly, "I'm so sorry... I... I need... I need to go outside for some fresh air... please, excuse me." Without waiting for another word from anyone, she quickly brushed past her assembled comrades and all but ran for the door, blinded by the salty wetness that stung at her eyes.

Presea reacted first, turning towards Regal who had hesitated with Genis bundled in his arms, wanting to chase after his wife and also to attend to his brother-in-law. Her voice was soft when she reached up to touch Genis' lightly on the arm, explaining gently, "It's alright, I will follow Professor Sage. Please attend to Genis for me."

"Presea... thank you."

Presea turned so she wouldn't have to see Regal carrying away the young boy, and she was quick to chase after the woman who had failed to heal him. She didn't need to go very far, as soon as she stepped onto the stairway right outside the door, she spotted the half-elven woman hunched over on herself, shaking with what seemed to be sobs. The axeman was torn between two entirely different radical emotions, one was sympathy, the other and more frightening, was fury. The first she knew well, Raine was her companion, they had travelled for quite some time together and though they were never particularly close, they were still comrades that worked tirelessly towards the same goals. The fury confused her, but a few moments of deep thinking quickly settled out the reasoning.

Raine was Genis' protector, the older healer could do what Presea had failed to in the year that she'd lived beside the young mage. The idea that, in the most crucial of moments, Raine had failed to come to her brother's aid was almost treason to the hunter. She had seen firsthand what lengths the woman would go to to protect her younger brother, almost to the point of motherhood, something Genis had openly admitted. In an irrational way of thinking that totally confused the normally logical girl, Raine had failed in her duty to him, and left him to die. It was inexplicable and completely unacceptable.

These two emotions warred within Presea for nearly half a minute, and she watched as Raine's slender shoulders heaved with the force of her silent sobs. It only took the second half of that minute for her to make up her mind, and sympathy had won over. The urge to come to her friend's side in a time of emotional upheaval was stronger than her indulgence for emotion, especially when it was something so twisted that she didn't understand it well enough to want to act on it. Her feet were silent on the stone as she crossed the last few feet between them, and her voice was nearly a murmur when she spoke up, "Professor..."

Raine jerked, thoroughly startled, and whirled at once. Her right hand, which had been loosely gripping her staff, tightened and raised the Crystal Rod in an offensive stance. The second she saw Presea's surprised expression, she relaxed and then she raised her hand to touch the quickly drying tears on her face. Turning her head away to spare herself the shame, she mumbled ruefully, "I'm a horrible excuse for a sister, for a teacher... freezing up at the very worst moment..."

"Professor, if you believe those things, then they most certainly will become truth in the future." Presea wanted to clap her hand over her mouth when the words slipped past her lips, and from the surprised expression on Raine's face, she too felt the shock. However Raine's expression had melted into one of wry sadness, while Presea remained startled by her coarseness. 'Where... Where did that come from? I... I am angry, yes, but... but to hurt her, to kick her while she's already suffering...?'

"Yes, you're correct... if I continue to believe those words, they will come true in due time." Raine agreed quietly, shaking her head while she dried off her tears with the edge of her long sleeve. The orange fabric of her robe, normally so smooth, felt strangely rough against her wet skin. "However Presea, I'm afraid that given these circumstances, they may very well be the truth, my truth."

Three beats of silence followed those words, then finally Presea shook her head as if to clear the static in her ears. Raine was staring off at something she couldn't see in the distance, prompting her to finally say, "I don't understand what you mean by that, Professor Sage. Are you talking about what happened inside...?"

"I've..." Raine faltered, wincing as the truth she had suspected struck her hard in the heart. At first, she had worked tirelessly to deny it, the strange emptiness in her mind and chest where the surge of life had always been. Her hands felt so cold to her now, without use now that the emptiness had taken a hold of her. Turning her gaze back to the bewildered face of the hunter who had been her brother's target of affection for so long, she explained weakly, "Presea, when I was in Altamira, I believe the Desians attacked mine and Regal's home when he was in Lezareno. We had just gotten word of Sheena and Lloyd from Zelos, and had decided to come here immediately to help in any way we could. However, someone set fire to the mansion. At the time, I was trapped inside the master room, and had no where else to go but to the balcony, and to jump into the ocean."

Presea saw her body shudder when she spoke the words, apparently reliving the horrifying memory. She kept her silence, even though she couldn't possibly fathom why Raine was telling her all of this, her instincts warned her that it was important that she listen, that she understand.

"I must have struck my head when I jumped, or perhaps the shock of it..." Raine fell off into a nearly silent whisper, and she again shook her head from side to side. Her hands were gripping even tighter at her rod now, breathing coming in deep and frightened bursts. "I contracted a very mild case of retrograde amnesia, I believe that it was the shock of facing my phobia head-on that possibly set my mind into a lock-down, to protect itself... However, it quickly dissipated once I was safe enough to regain sanity, but in the process, I lost my ability to heal."

Presea had considered herself stunned a few moments ago, but now she was entirely flabbergasted. Her mind spun insanely quickly, searching for hidden meanings or nuances in the explanation she had just received, but it came up painfully empty. She slowly repeated the words she had just been told, hoping for Raine to clear her mind, "You've lost... your ability to heal?"

"Yes."

* * *

**Luin**

**That Afternoon**

It was the hoarse roar of an insult that caused the angel's eyes to flicker from her destination to the scene at the shop's entrance, and Tasogare paused mid-step when she saw the men that had surrounded the cloaked form of a woman at the base of a statue. One of them, the tallest, had his hand firmly wrapped around her wrist and was jerking her away from the inscription, face alight with a fury that she knew all too well. Racial hatred between half-elves and humans had always been impressively strong in both worlds, however the gap between elves and humankind was almost as impressive. There were many reasons why the elvenkind refused to leave their sanctuary in Heimdall, and the threat of an attack the moment they entered the public eye was one of them. Humans either feared them to the point of ignorance, or hated them to the point of violence, and from the display Tasogare was witnessing, this particular band of humans were unfortunately the latter.

"Go back to Heimdall you waste of skin!" The man that had grabbed her lashed out with his foot, striking the side of her head with alarming force. The woman sprawled backwards, hitting the stone cube that supported the statue with a sickening thud. Blood peppered the ground where she lay, twitching in pain, and the group towered almost proudly above her.

Tasogare turned her head away from the sight, her eyes remaining coldly impassive as the sound of feet striking the already injured form of the woman echoed in the marketplace. She was not surprised to find the area empty, the moment trouble brewed there was either a crowd or everyone turned a blind eye. Again, the latter option had occurred here, and it sickened the angel to see it.

A yelp broke through the angry yelling, and surprised, Tasogare fixed her golden eyes on the hunched figure. Her hood had fallen back, revealing a bloody face with sharp cerulean eyes and impossibly pale skin. Her silver-blue hair was coated with dirt and grime, an obvious testament to her countless days of travelling. Her body turned rigid as she looked from the elf's pained face to the one of stone that stood above her. Her breath left her in a wordless whisper, the name leaving her filled with a moment of shock and realization. "Sage."

"You don't belong here elf!" A second man spat on her clothing, watching with a dirty glare as she cringed back, whimpering all the while. She held her head in her hands, cowering away from the kicks that were aimed at her mid-section and face, desperately attempting to shield herself from the harsh blows. "Your dirtying our town with your black magic!"

The first man, who had struck her before, had his arm raised as though to bring it down on the top of her head, but his attack never made it there. Tasogare's hand closed around his exposed wrist, clenching just enough to stop him from moving. Her own cloak fluttered softly from the speed she had used to clear the distance, and she stood protectively in front of the battered elf. Golden eyes cold and emotionless, her voice rung out stonily, "What an uninformed lot you humans are."

The man started, clearly startled to have been interrupted so quickly. His companions immediately backed away from the female who stood between them and their prey, eyes widening at the sight of such a dangerous face. His own green eyes sparkled with fear as her hand closed painfully tight on his wrist, cracking his bones until he fell to his knees in front of her from the pain. He groaned loudly, grabbing at her hand desperately to pry off her fingers, but her grip was too firm for him to even manage to loosen the hold an inch. "Ughn! S-Stop it, let me go! Argh!"

Her thin lips quirked into what was approaching a smile, and her eyes blazed with the light of battle even though she hadn't even considered using her weapon. Hand tightening, she broke his wrist with a simple squeeze, eliciting a hoarse scream of agony from the man at her feet. Her voice was quiet but incredibly deadly, retaining a smooth politeness all the while she tortured him with a single hand, "I must politely decline. Now, if you are kind enough to turn your back on your misdeeds on this innocent woman, I will release your hand and let you live." Her eyes flickered up, scanning the shocked faces of his obviously frightened comrades, and she added silkily, "That applies to all of you, as well. Leave her be and I'll return the favour by sparing your lives, as much as I'd like to rid you of them."

At once and with purpose, the surrounding men fled the area with shocked gasps, too afraid to challenge the strange female who had so easily brought their comrade to his knees. The sight of their cowardice brought a malicious edge to Tasogare's half-smile, and her honeyed eyes looked down into the fearful ones of the man at her feet. "So... Your decision...?"

"I-I'll leave her alone, j-j-just don't kill me, please! I'm begging you!"

"A human begging at the feet of a half-elf, now that is a sight of beauty." Tasogare mused in that same silken tone, but she released his arm anyway, stepped backwards when he fell, cradling his injury to his chest. He had started to sob, the broken bones poking through his skin to allow blood to seep from the wound, staining the front of his shirt. She waited until he had managed to pick himself up, also staggering away from her, fleeing like his friends had before him. Waiting until she was certain that they had truly disappeared, she turned back to the huddling mess of an elf that the men had left behind.

"Pl-Please don't hurt me... I don't have very much, but what I have you can take, I just wish to be left alone!" Her voice rose hysterically and she was trying to speak through ragged hiccuping sobs, clutching her injured body to protect herself from the new threat. Curled up so tightly to the base of the statue that her cheek was pressing to the stone, she whimpered pathetically as she parroted the words of her attacker, "I'm begging you, please just leave me in peace! I wasn't defiling the statue or harming anyone, I just–"

"I have no intention of harming you, Virginia Sage. In fact, my motives are quite the opposite of the thugs that harassed you." Tasogare's voice, which only moments before had dripped poisonous threats, had become strangely soft and soothing. She knelt at the side of the injured elf, her hands kept close to her own body as a sign of peace, and she continued gently, "I will not harm you, by the power of Derris Kharlan, that I swear to you."

Virginia's eyes widened to perfectly round saucers, and for a long moment she wasn't sure what to say. Clutching herself wearily, her eyes suspiciously raked over the stranger and tried to find hints of deceit in her young face. Her golden eyes were blank, a forced expression she noted, but there was a weariness in her body, her stance, that could only come with age. Her voice very quiet, she asked, "H-How... How do you know my name?"

"I am an acquaintance of your children." The lie came so smoothly from her lips, dripping sincerity that she had perfected over decades. She remembered quite clearly the rumours of the elf's lucidity, apparently her mind had shattered a few years after her husband's death and her last-ditch attempt to send her children to safety. However, looking into the surprisingly clear eyes that shone with an intelligence that Tasogare immediately knew had been inherited by Raine, she had trouble believing them.

Virginia stiffened, and one hand fell to her stomach before it clenched into a tight fist and she took in a deep breath of air. Her expression was one of pain, a pain that had nothing to do with the physical beating she had took. Face pinched, she let out that same breath, and murmured with a voice full of sorrow, "My children... My poor, poor children..."

Tasogare said nothing, she was off-kilter and her mind was spinning with this new development. She had heard that Virginia had fled Exire, and her whereabouts were currently unknown, though Lloyd had promised to track her down. An elf travelling alone was dangerous enough in the unstable world, but an insane elf alone was almost suicide.

Virgina's halting voice snapped the angel back to the present, and the sudden intensity in her golden eyes brought her to an abrupt stop. Swallowing her nervousness, she looked down at her bruised body as though seeing it for the first time. Wincing with pain when she uncurled her hands, she finally mustered her courage and asked, "Though this seems out of turn, especially since you came to my aid, I have a favour I wish to ask of you. You say you know my children, I... I am searching for them... Is it possible that... you can take me to them? To my children?"

Tasogare would have smiled if she hadn't had better control over herself, instead her face softened by a fraction and she leaned back on the balls of her feet. Making herself smaller seemed to have calmed Virginia somewhat, and she sat up straighter, pointed ears perked up in anticipation of an answer. "You ask that I take you to your children, and as much as I'd be honoured to do so, I'm afraid that by myself, it would be impossible. However, I do have comrades that could assist me, but that would involve my leaving Luin, and I would worry to leave you alone. Supposing you don't mind joining me for a short while..."

"Yes, yes of course I will!" Virginia burst out, unable to mask her excitement, even to this stranger. Clapping her hands together, she held them to her mouth as though she was in prayer, closing her eyes tightly. The serene expression and bloody skin confused Tasogare, but her following words were quick to brush it away, "I... would do anything to see my beloved children again. E-Even if they... refuse to see me... I..."

"_You're the one that's wrong! How could you.... How could you...?!"_

Wincing as the words her daughter yelled at her slammed into her head, the elven woman caved in on herself and two crystalline tears trickled down her face. Finally managing to take a deep breath in a desperate attempt to calm herself, she repeated brokenly, "I wish to see my children."

"Then I shall help you find them." Tasogare paused before getting to her feet, as if for the first time noticing the severity of the wound in her face. Blood still trickled freely from the gash in her temple, mixing in with her drying tears and for a moment, she was unsure of what to do or say. "Ah, but your..."

Virginia blinked, not understanding before she noticed that Tasogare was almost unconsciously pulling her gloves from her hands to aid her. She knew that instinct, as it drove all of her kind, the earthly mana that flowed through all of those with eleven blood, to connect with the world in any way possible. Plucking at the hem of her cloak, she raised the rough fabric to her wound and scrubbed gently at the blood that flowed from her torn skin, not minding the fact that the dust from the road would mingle with it. Raising her right hand, she pressed her bruised fingertips to the wound and closed her eyes, and green sparks of mana immediately began to fizzle into the injury. "First Aid..."

Though she had lived for many years wearing a mask of unconcernedness, this simple act of healing brought surprise to Tasogare's face. She understood at once exactly what genes Raine and Genis had inherited from their elven mother, magical skills that had miraculously avoided becoming diluted by the human blood of their father. "Amazing... You are indeed a proficient healer, it is no wonder your daughter has such a knack for those abilities..."

Virginia nearly smiled, dropping her hand from her temple to reveal the fresh pink skin that had grown in. A small line was the only reminder of what she had gone through, her healing arts having easily done away with any other lasting damages. Though her voice was still tight with pain, pride trickled through those cracks as she spoke fondly of Raine, "She was always intelligent, even from when she was an infant... I taught her everything I knew, hoping that she could use it better than I in the future... However, I proved to be an unfit mother, and failed to protect her from the knights of the papacy, who wanted my daughter for her blessed talents. I can only say that I am truly glad that something I taught her was beneficial to her, and to Genis."

"You would most definitely be surprised if you were to see them now." Tasogare mused quietly, speaking so softly that her own keen ears were incapable of hearing the words she'd uttered. Clearing her throat, she stood up, and after a moment of hesitation, offered her hand to the still-kneeling Virginia. The elf refused her help and stood up on her own, though her legs trembled dangerously, warning that her body was still damaged from her travels. "Perhaps we should settle in a hotel for the night, so you have time to recuperate...?"

"Absolutely not. I have been travelling nonstop for nearly two years on my feet alone, stopping now would make all of that effort meaningless. Besides, you look as if you could go for weeks without pause yourself, and seeing as you are granting my wish, it would be rude for me to slow you down." Virginia replied shortly, raising a hand when it appeared that Tasogare was going to continue her argument. Blue eyes blazing, she turned on the angel and added on quite fiercely, "I will not rest until my legs refuse to carry me another step. I owe my children _that much_ after everything I put them through. You, a child yourself, may not understand that devotion, so I will not attempt to explain it to you, but that is my thinking process!"

Though she never would have thought it possible, after almost five centuries without ever cracking a true smile, Tasogare threw her head back and laughed. Her shoulders shook with the force of her mirth, and her hands clutched at her stomach while her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Her lapse in control only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough, and she turned back to Virgina, golden eyes bright with life as she explained, "You are a very strange elf, perhaps the strangest that I have ever met in my obscenely long life. For someone like you to call _me _a child... That was the most amusing thing I have ever heard. Fine then, in admiration of your spirit, we won't rest for the night. Come then, my ally has taken up residence at the Tower of Mana, or what remains of it. We shall head there immediately."

"Your ally will know where my daughter and son are?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not. In the case that it is the latter, I'm sure he can find the information for us in a short period of time. Otherwise, he would not be nearly as indispensable as he believes, correct?"

"Yes... quite."

**AN**

**I really hate it when people think I'd use such a lame plot device, lol, getting those reviews about Raine's amnesia drove me insane. XD It was nearly impossible to bite my tongue and not reply... I'm so evil that way, lol, I wondered who'd wanna slap me afterwards for doing this to the poor Professor? I got my share of kicks from my sister alone, lol, she was pretty annoyed. XD Then I went and involved poor Genis and Virginia in the share of plot-kicking, I think I enjoy picking on the Sage family... Strange how I only took notice of this after writing the damned chapter. XD**

**Ahem, yes... REVIEW REPLIES! (throws a wad of paper at Sychotic) Happy now?**

**Jivey****: Well, Tasogare is going to be overdue for character development for awhile... I'd really prefer to keep her character as shrouded in mystery as possible, but I worry I'm not going about it very well. Hehe, her actions only make sense to me, so I guess it's a good enough thing...? Nn. Ah yes, lol, Raine's amnesia... Read above. Hehe.**

**BurnTheWriter****: First, LOVE your name, lol, it makes me think of the witch hunts, let's burn the freaky people who are probably more down to earth than you are! Ahem, sorry, that must have sounded incredibly creepy. Hehe. Yes, more on Tasogare will be coming, but in very very small bits. Till at least the third arc of my story (I label it as arcs just to keep it organized in my head, so third arc is probably... Hmm, maybe 3/4 through?), I'm trusting my readers to put her character together on their own, it is more fun that way. I really want to hear what peoples' theories are on her, it's just so fun to see where someone's imagine takes them!**

**Sychotic****: (pokes repeatedly) No I will not stop poking you, and I will continue to use my review replies to torture you as such. It is really a source of entertainment for me. XD Nah, I can't abandon a story like this, my brain (not to mention my plot-fairy) would never forgive me. I'm just bad that way.**

**Maurice****: Ah, how I love your long reviews. It's such a pleasant reminder that there are people who are willing to spend time to write out their thoughts... Heehee, just what I needed. Yes, everybody had a chance to recover, but didn't use it wisely, and there's a hell of a lot more where all of that stress came from... Heheh. I'm horrible, aren't I? Just damn horrible. I need to leave off more hints, don't I? XD**

**PPS: Please bear with me on the odd alignment, my goddamn computer decides to reroute me to the top of the document each and every time I decide to click on the kfcing toolbar. I can't even insert a kfcing line without the line ending up at the TOP. It's really annoying to a perfectionist, so I just want to apologize for it, because it just seems so weird. T.T**

**Sky**


	9. Fearful Lapse

**Meltokio**

**Early Morning**

Colette let out a low breath between pursed lips as her bare feet padded almost soundlessly across the carpet. Though her room was only a stone's throw away from the one she was heading towards, it still seemed as if she had been walking for years. The morning was still young, the sun had barely just begun peaking up over the Tethe'allan castle, and the birds had yet to begin singing their mornsong. Still, the petite angel had failed to sleep very much beforehand, her mind spinning with all of the events that had happened prior. Yuan's firm but sympathetic voice swam in her head, as did the footage from Palmacosta, and she was too confused to allow herself to settle.

Though she knew it was probably wrong of her, it wasn't any of those things that truly caused her feet to travel towards Sheena's room. What rang in her head with the most ferocity was her own voice as she clung desperately to Zelos' arm and refused to let him go, begging him to _not_ run to Genis' aid, no matter how much her half-elven friend needed it. She had watched with growing concern as Zelos exhausted his mana in a furious but vain attempt to heal Sheena's wounds, and to see him try and do it again, though this time to save a life, it had scared her to pieces. In his already weakened position, to use so much mana in an attempt to heal Genis could have very well cost the Chosen his life, and she had instinctively stopped him.

Chewing hard on her lower lip, her heart gave a sharp painful throb inside of her chest, causing her to put her hand to it with a small grimace. Wishing that there was some strange way to stop the pain of her heart, Colette was silently glad when she finally reached the room that housed her friend. As it had been with Zelos, after the footage of Lloyd had been shown, and after the incident with Genis, Sheena had holed herself in her room and hadn't come out since. Though Regal had stopped by to heal her wounds, due to some strange reason that Raine refused to speak about, no one had dared to interrupt the ninja's solitude.

She felt almost as if she was breaking some rule in her attempt to see Sheena after so much had happened, but even then she still forced herself to stare at the plain wooden door of her friend's room. Raising her hand, she steeled herself as best she could, summoning the dredges of courage that miraculously remained even after her peaceful reality had been shattered. She knocked.

She cringed when the sound echoed in the early dawn, the knock reverberated with her emotions; disarray, hesitancy and fear. For a moment she debated flight, wondering if the ninja would know if it was her who tried calling for her. That idea however was shattered into millions of pieces, and Colette nearly jumped seven feet into the air when Sheena called out for her when she had turned her back to flee.

"Come in."

She stared down at the doorknob, as if she was afraid the metal would suddenly turn into a mouth to bite her. However she still placed her hand on it and pulled the door open, coughing softly to announce her entry. She was surprised by the light violet-coloured kimono that Sheena was clothed in, an abrupt change from the pale and loose-fitting clothing that she had been making do with. Zelos had bought the garment and an assortment of others for her after she'd made a passing comment about how she was without clothes, and only until today, Sheena had refused to wear the gifts.

Her back was facing the tiny angel, and her hands were busily fussing with something that her body was blocking from view. Her hair, which was once worn loose, was now done up into that familiar messy ponytail and she was standing tall, a change from her pained posture of the day before. She turned her head to glance at her visitor, and a wry smile slid across her lips before she turned completely to face her. "Morning, Colette..."

"Good morning, Sheena." Colette greeted her hesitantly, raising her eyebrows when she caught a glimpse of the plain leather travelling bag laid out on the bed behind her friend. Quickly scanning around, she spotted the evidence of an emptied room, and her heart leapt into her throat as a sense of foreboding crashed over her. 'Wh-What...?' Her voice cracking, she forced herself to ask, "What are you doing Sheena...? Are you... packing?"

Sheena's rueful smile grew, and she stepped to the left to reveal the bag she had been packing her pathetic assortment of belongings into. Her tawny eyes focused firmly on the thick carpet below her feet, she sighed once before explaining in a deadened tone, "Yeah, I'm packing. I was hoping to get out of the mansion early, so I wouldn't wake anyone once I left, but it looks like that's not an option anymore." She tilted her head in a wry comedic gesture, a very small smile stretching her full lips as she offered a wordless apology. "Guess you caught me."

Colette was unsure of how to react, and during her stunned silence, Sheena threw the last of her things into the bag and zipped it tightly. The sight seemed too final for the angel, and tears sprung to her eyes as betrayal washed through her, swift and strong. Swallowing back the hurt, anger and sadness, she instead chose a different path that allowed her to put those emotions aside in order to push a smile to her face again. Her voice, once shaky was now strong and firm as she asked her, "Can you wait ten minutes for me then? I can pack quick."

"Eh?" Sheena stood upright at once, eyes widening and mouth falling open with an audible popping noise. The shock must have made her look quite comical, because Colette was beaming radiantly as she tried not to giggle. Somehow managing to put a leash on her emotions, the ninja repeated in a forced voice, "What do you mean 'pack', Colette? You're not coming with me."

"You're not going alone, I won't let you." Colette replied brusquely, her eyes narrowing as she placed unneeded emphasis on the veiled threat. Raising a hand to block the doorway, she continued in a strong voice, "You were kidnapped when Lloyd was with you, can you imagine how bad it'll be if you're all by yourself? I can't let that happen, so I'm going with you."

"Y-You–" Sheena burst out loudly, unsure of what she was saying. She realized quickly that her voice had risen too high and she could easily wake up someone if she didn't control herself. Swearing viciously in a growl, she took a cleansing breath before fixing Colette with the darkest stare she could manage. "You don't even know where I'm going!"

"I know that you're planning on going by yourself, and I know that you're my friend, those are reasons enough for me to follow you, or stop you." Colette answered simply, the smile returning to her face when she spoke the words that seemed far too easy to speak. However there wasn't, and never could be, a malice in her young and innocent face. She spoke from the bottom of her heart and meant everything that she said. "You're going off to find Lloyd, aren't you Sheena?"

Though she didn't say it in so many words, her physical reaction was more then enough of an answer for Colette. Her face pinched together, a look of guilt clouding her eyes as she cringed away from the truth. Her hand flew up to her neck, where Corrine's bell had used to hang before it had been stolen away in the Desian facility. Then her fingers, as if drawn by magnets, lowered to her heart, and she pressed her fist there and closed her eyes to fight back hot tears. 'Lloyd...'

"He's my friend too, and I want to find him as much as you do. I don't think he did what Yuan says he did, it's not like Lloyd. There must be another answer to it and if you're going to look for it, I'm coming with you." Colette reaffirmed her words with a strong challenging glare that Sheena attempted to meet. "I'm coming with you because you and Lloyd are my friends, and I'll just worry about you otherwise."

"Colette–"

"I'm not useless. I know that I'm clumsy, and I'm not really smart either, but I can fight and I can help." Colette interrupted her rather fiercely, the emotion causing Sheena to jump when she saw the angry tears spilling over her red cheeks. With her hands clasped into tight fists, Colette exclaimed in a low voice, "I won't slow you down and I won't be a pain either. I will help you because I can."

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Sheena grunted rather angrily herself, causing Colette to step back as if she had been slapped across the face. Dropping her hands to her side, a gesture of defeat, the ninja grumbled unhappily, "When did I ever say you were useless, or a pain? Sure, you're clumsy but I am too, what sort of ninja goes around falling into holes all the time? I don't want you coming with me because of that, I don't want you coming with me because finding Lloyd is my responsibility. I can't remember where we were held but I know if I travel enough I will remember and I will find him again. I promised I wouldn't leave him behind and... and..."

"Sheena..." Colette smiled though there was definitely a hint of exasperation in the expression. Her eyes however were tender, and she reached forward to extend her hand to her friend. "You didn't leave him behind. You _never_ would leave him behind. I know better, and I know Lloyd does too. It's perfectly okay and you really need to believe that. Since we're going to travel together, I can keep reminding you of it too!"

Sheena stared wearily at the hand that was extended to her, as if she was unsure of the intentions behind it. Teetering on the edge of something that truly scared her, she could feel her own hand trembling when she raised it and made to grasp the fingers that belonged to her friend. 'I... I can't do it alone... I need her help.'

Colette beamed when Sheena interlocked her shaking fingers with hers, and she drew forward to give her friend a tight hug. When she pulled back, her smile had turned into an expression of utter seriousness, and she glanced at the door behind them before beginning to speak. "I'll pack fast, then we can go. Where should we head off to first anyway?"

"I wanted to check out Luin, and Palmacosta first before hitting anywhere else." Sheena flinched as she spoke the name of the city that now housed a dead comrade, and Colette's reaction mirrored her own pain. For a good moment, the two were silent and hesitant, unsure of themselves as if the ire of the situation had truly hit them then. Closing her eyes, Sheena forced herself to continue in a placid-sounding voice, "Then from there... Well, I'm not really sure."

"I think you should go to Mizuho first, it won't be really helpful if you're travelling without weaponry or a proper kimono, right?" Colette's voice was soft, but still sensible, and that made Sheena look at her twice. Face flushing brightly, she looked down at her hands and mumbled somewhat shamefacedly, "I know that you're unarmed, and the kimono me and Zelos bought for you is pretty but it's nothing like your last one... It might be better for you to be properly equipped before we start stirring things up."

"I guess you've got a point there." Sheena agreed somewhat hesitantly, and she rubbed at the back of her neck, embarrassed for having not thought of that herself. It was backwards for her, she was being lectured on arming herself by the most pacifistic person she knew. Her face reddened another hue when she realized this, and she sat down hard on the edge of her borrowed bed. "Jizou, I really am clumsy. Of course I need outfitting, what was I going to do, run around the world in borrowed clothing?" Immediately realizing her unconscious barb, she quickly jerked her head up and apologized in a rush, "N-Not that I don't like the gi or anything, it's just that it's not suited for battle!"

"Sheena, I know." Colette giggled softly, shaking her head with rueful amusement. It was almost as if their roles had been switched; her usual hasty apologizing and Sheena's patient scolding. Resisting the urge to sit with her friend and soak up a peaceful moment, she stood tall and said in a firm voice, "So, you're going to wait for me then while I pack? I'll be really quick."

Sheena forced herself to smile ruefully in Colette's general direction, and she nodded in agreement. She had no chance of sneaking free from Colette, her angelic abilities were too good to fool. Besides... in the depths of her heart, she was secretly glad that it had been Colette to catch her, her best friend who would be able to soothe her aching heart. It was a comfort she had been prepared to deny herself of, all for the sake of regaining her pride, and the man she had long ago sworn never to turn her back on. "Yeah, yeah, I'll wait... It's not like I could make it out the door without you hearing me anyway."

"Yup!" Colette giggled, and pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle the gleeful noise. This was just another one of the many times she was pleased to have retained her blessings from her transformation. It was very difficult for anyone to sneak up on her or her friends. Turning for the door, she added over her shoulder as her hand turned the doorknob, "Don't worry, I'll get my things together and then we'll be heading right out–"

Her voice died in an astonished squeak when she bumped into a very familiar torso, and on cue her face turned crimson with guilt and embarrassment. She instinctively stepped backwards, hearing Sheena rising to her feet behind her, preparing for combat. Her posture slacked at once however when her blazing topaz eyes met the equally cold cerulean ones of their host.

Zelos stood calmly in the doorway, one hand resting along the frame as if he had all the time in the world. While his posture was one of a swagger and steadiness, his expression was a dangerous one that Sheena and Colette were unused to seeing. He was fully dressed, and armed, something that didn't escape either teens' notice. His hand lingered almost fitfully on the handle of his favoured Last Fencer, and it seemed like a lifetime had passed before he spoke in a falsely casual tone, "So... Where are you two lovely women heading, hmm?"

* * *

**Ruins of the Tower of Mana**

Virginia frowned a little, absently fingering the worn designs of ancient symbols that still managed to decorate the ruins of the fallen tower. She wasn't entirely sure why the angel had brought her to such a place, but she hadn't contested the decision. She knew better, she had seen the angel's easy strength, and more so, the bloodlust in her eyes as she brought the human man to his knees. She wasn't simply dangerous, she was lethal. She understood this and so she kept silent. She only wished to see her children and if going along with the strange one was the way to do it, she wasn't about to hesitate.

Underneath a particularly large fallen piece of the tower, the two had made an impromptu shelter of sorts. The blocks of stone had made a perfect sort of cave for them, and Virgina had finally allowed herself a fitful sleep. She'd noticed that while Tasogare was none the least hesitant to keep guard, she had refused to share the night meal or even take a chance to close her eyes. Already she had formed numerous theories about her mysterious keeper, and she wondered if and when she would ever learn more about her.

Her calm cerulean eyes pierced the darkness of the early morning and the crackling fire that she was settled against to the entrance. Tasogare was almost one with the wall, a hood pulled up over her head as she stared out wordlessly into the drizzling mist. She had remained silent for almost much of the night, only sparing her voice to politely decline the dinner she had been cooked, and to explain her role of guarding the entryway.

'Yes, she certainly is a strange one... She reached out to help a woman, an elf no less, for nothing in return... She mentioned her half-elven heritage, that she can't deny. I can sense her mana, as clear as the sunlight, she is a half-elf, but... her mana is different somehow as well... Stronger, more potent...'

Her musings were cut off by an impatient grunt, and turning her head back to the entrance, she spotted Tasogare glaring at a black-robed blob approaching through the rain. She tensed, but her heroine seemed entirely content to remain lax where she stood and that gave her some comfort. The shape was that of a man, someone who looked close to his mid-thirties at Virginia's best guess as his features became discernable under his cloak.

With eyes as wild as the grasslands surrounding the once beautiful tower, the man had purely boyish features that did not belong in his rugged face. Stubble growing along his square chin, he lowered those strange eyes and gave the angel a discreet and polite bow. It was with this movement that Virginia caught sight of the bow and quiver hanging over his shoulder. The weaponry was oddly dry despite the falling rain, a clear indicator of magic to the elven woman. His mana closely resembled that of Tasogare's, a strong mixture of elven blood and human yet with more magical power.

"Dvalinn." Tasogare said shortly, golden eyes narrowing as she pulled her hood down and shook her hair free of the static. The soldier went straight the moment she addressed him, eyes staring in a trained manner at something over her shoulder. She continued in that same curt tone, "You are late. I hope you bring me good news of the information I requested?"

Dvalinn nodded as once, sweeping himself into another, but more grandeur, bow. His voice lilted with a strange accent that seemed out of place, matching well with his features as he began to speak. "I am very sorry for my ineptitude, Lady Tasogare, I will not allow it to happen again. The information on the Sage siblings has been collected, their location is currently Meltokio. Our informer has confirmed that they, along with the remaining Heroes of Regeneration, are collected in the home of Chosen Wilder. Yuan Ka-Fai was seen leaving the mansion as well, we assume that the tape from Palmacosta was shown to them."

"I assumed as much, Ka-Fai never was able to keep information to himself, the filthy Renegade." Tasogare replied with a wave of her hand, her lips twitching just the slightest into a smile. "However, he worked to our advantage." Her arms tightened over her stomach, and she closed her eyes briefly before she continued, "I thank you for giving me this information, however before I leave you to continue your reconnaissance in the western area, I have another request of you. The reconstruction of Auin's pet project, how has it been moving along?"

"Lord Auin has been both rounding up material while continuing his construction in the Iselian district. His most recent report to Dáinn was to confirm that he has gathered around five hundred or so subjects." Dvalinn answered promptly, noticing how his commander's honeyed eyes registered a deep disgust. He added on almost hesitantly, "Also, he is expanding his area of capture, and has began looting from the prisons of Meltokio and Palmacosta..."

"The fool, he has no understanding of the word subtlety." Tasogare spat out her insult as if she had a mouthful of poison, her teeth gritting together tightly. Shaking her head fiercely, she let out a quiet cough as she continued in a hiss, "He'll be the death of us all if he continues to flaunt himself to the people of Aselia. I'll deal with him shortly, I have other matters to attend to at the moment."

Dvalinn was silent for a long moment, obviously waiting his next orders. Tasogare seemed to not notice him, her hand clutching tightly around the fabric of her shirt. She let out a soft exhale and tilted her head back as if she was attempting to readjust her posture to get comfortable. Obviously afraid to interrupt whatever was going on inside of his commander's mind, he questioned hesitantly, "What are you next orders, Milady...?"

There was a very long silence before she answered, and the angel fidgeted for a few more moments, her hand ever tightening its grip on her stomach. Her eyes opened, and she answered him with a sudden weary tone, "You and Dáinn are to keep watch over Auin and his trifles for the time being... I cannot abandon my mission to go and deal with him, as much as I would like to."

"Yes Milady, I will inform Dáinn immediately and set off post haste."

Leaving the two with those parting words, he dashed off like a panther back into the night. Tasogare watched his progress with steely eyes, and only when he had vanished from her sight did she turn away from the entrance and walk back into the cave. To Virginia's great surprise, Tasogare sat down across from her by the fire, her face seemingly ancient as the flames flickered its light onto her.

A few long moments passed, and then Tasogare was the first to break the uncomfortable silence by coughing politely to get Virginia's attention. The elf looked up at once and she was even more startled by the strange lift there was in the angel's thin lips. Her honey-gold eyes seemed fevered, but she spoke with the same cool cadence that she always had when she addressed her. "Sage, how adverse are you to yet another day or so of travel...?"

Virginia raised her eyebrows, and she found herself stumbling awkwardly through her own mind as she tried to read between the lines. In the very short time that she had been taken under, she had only once seen Tasogare show anything remotely akin to humour. In all other times, she was fearfully reserved and cold, though polite. The words however that she had exchanged with the handsome stranger worried her, as well as confirmed her suspicions. She had known that the angel who had rescued her was powerful, but she had heard with her own ears that she commanded a legion of soldiers. She wore no markings that distinguished her to any faction that Virginia recognized, and that only made her more weary. While she had no love for the royalties of Tethe'alla, and was unfamiliar with the hierarchy, or lack of, in Sylvarant. Militia of any kind was never a good thing in her experience.

However, she was yearning to see her children again, and she knew power bred influence. Tasogare fit this idiom to a tee, and Virginia was more than willing to be beside her if it meant being able to see her beloved children's faces one more time. Still, she could not shake her dread when she looked into those curious honey coloured eyes that belonged in a face too young to be too strong. She took in a deep breath and finally answered her with a quiet, "I am not adverse to it in the least, Miss Tasogare."

Tasogare's lips stretched across her teeth in a very thin smile as she cocked her head to the side and returned Virginia's gaze. Her hands absently smoothed out creases in her cloak while her quiet voice murmured, "I'm glad for this... You see, it's near time that you begin to act out your role."

Virginia blinked once as a cold chill spread deep inside her bones at the cryptic words. Slowly and with great caution, the elven woman clambered to her feet and raised her hands in a defensive posture. Tasogare made no threatening move to her but Virginia sank close to the wall as if she had. Her voice was remarkably calm despite the fear coursing through her blood when she spoke, "My... 'role', Miss Tasogare...?"

"Indeed. Your role." Tasogare informed her with a wan smile, and she let out a sigh that was slightly exasperated and amused at the same time. With her arms folded tightly over her mid-section as if in protection, the angel raked Virginia's fragile body over with her honeyed stare. "You see Virginia Sage... I intend to take you hostage."

Virginia's blood ran cold and the next few seconds that passed seemed like years to the elf. Despite the adrenalin running rampant through her veins, she managed to keep a clear head and meet the eyes of her captor. Oddly there was no surprise to dull the fear, only a lethal and impending sense of doom. She had witnessed firsthand how easily Tasogare had dispatched of a group of humans and even if she had full grasp of her power, Virginia doubted that she would be anything more than a nuisance to the angel.

Tasogare watched Virginia's wildly darting eyes with an impassive stare, and when she spotted the elf's icy eyes eying the entrance to the cave she found herself speaking up. Her voice remained as passive as her stare as she reproached the elven woman almost with exasperation, "I would advise against resisting me, Sage... it will not be an enjoyable experience for you if you do."

"You swore by Derris Kharlan..." Virginia's voice faltered before she laughed bitterly at her own failed logic. She lightly raised a hand to her forehead and massaged the aging skin she had grown to cover the wound she'd borne upon her meeting of Tasogare. Shaking her head, the woman stared through cold eyes at her captor and spoke quietly, "You're no better than the humans in Luin, are you?"

"I'd take offence if the statement didn't hold merit." Tasogare allowed and her lips thinned into an impressively bittersweet smile. Her golden eyes were dead however as she adjusted her posture against the cavern wall and she continued, "I did indeed swear by the powers of Derris Kharlan that I posed you no threat, and that was a true promise. I don't intend to harm you, that is, if you cooperate with me. It would be a hassle if you attempted to escape, because then I would have no choice but to bind you. You can see why I'd prefer for you to come along with me quietly."

Virginia was silent for a long moment at this, and she took this time to examine Tasogare very closely. The angel's face, despite being weary, held no lie. Still, at the same time, that face held no truth. The angel was a master of cleaning her expression to nothing, even as she spouted a sacred oath that none of elven heritage would ever dare to breach. When she finally parted her lips to speak it was then that she noticed a flicker of life reappeared in the angel's golden eyes. "Why do you need me? Why did you _save_ me?"

The two questions caused Tasogare's smile to spread just the tiniest bit, and she tilted her head up to the ceiling as though her answer was there. As she examined the cold and unyielding stone that blocked out the rain, her voice rang out quietly but honestly, "I saved you because I needed you and I need you because only you can help me get what I require. Any more details may cost you your life, and is the price worth it?"

Virginia bit back her reply as Tasogare's golden eyes burned into her head. The angel could practically see what her hostage was thinking, and the elven woman had no desire to press her luck any more than she already had. While the oath she had given was binding to their kind... Virginia couldn't tell how much love Tasogare had for her brethren, if any at all. Still, one thought burned worriedly in her chest, and she spoke hastily even while her mind warned her against it, "What about my children?"

Tasogare's eyes flared with something close to amusement, and she stepped forward with easy but dangerous grace. Virginia retreated under her advance, but she had nowhere to move to and Tasogare quickly had her cornered against the wall. Tasogare leaned in quite close and her voice was an intimate whisper when she locked eyes with her elven hostage, "I told you that any more details may cost you your life. I will warn you once more. Continue to press into my affairs, and you will find yourself wishing you hadn't the curiosity that killed the cat. Do you understand me, Virginia Sage?"

Virginia shrank back from the dangerous aura that Tasogare was emanating, however the angel didn't allow her any room. Her chest heaved as she tried to steady her breathing so not to betray her fear. The attempt was useless, and both she and Tasogare knew this. Her voice shook as she whispered, "I understand..."

Tasogare stepped away from Virginia and released her from the intense pressure that her presence invoked. She tilted her head just the tiniest bit as she watched the fear slowly receded from the elven woman's body. Her golden eyes glinted with some amusement and she said quietly, "Good. Now that we have reached an understanding... I wish for you to start acting your role. That entails little work from your part, so I request politely for you to cause as little of a fuss as possible. As long as you follow my requests... you will see your children again, and the three of you will be unharmed."

Virginia said nothing, but her eyes spoke for her in volumes of words. Her cerulean gaze was ferocious yet fearful; all the signs of an animal trapped by a predator but one that was willing to battle to the death to protect its young. Her arms shook in the long sleeves of her robes but the emerald fabric hid her hands which had curled into claws. Her stance delivered a clear and poignant message to her captor, and it was one that Tasogare deeply respected. She was going to make the rest of this mission as much of a hell as possible for Tasogare, and she knew the angel would relish every moment of her struggle.

* * *

**Meltokio**

Several options for escape sped through Sheena's mind, but she rejected each and every one of them when she saw Zelos' cold expression. She knew without a doubt that he would do all in his power to stop them from fleeing, and she had no desire to be on the receiving end of the Chosen's anger. Instead of being frozen and ashamed of her plot to flee as she supposed would have possibly gone well with Zelos, she instead shook her head and commented breezily, "Does no one sleep these days? First Colette catches me, and then _you_ of all people? I've got no luck."

Colette turned her eyes to her shoes and shuffled backwards as Zelos walked inside and closed to the door behind him. The blond angel couldn't look him in the face and all but fled to Sheena's side as her Tethe'allan counterpart blocked their main method of escape. She heard his thudding heartbeat as clearly as she could hear the birdsong outside of the window, and she wondered if he was angry with them.

Zelos tilted his head and his eyes swept over Sheena's unashamed posture and Colette's guilty frown. He had overheard their entire conversation, and it was difficult for him to keep a calm face when his mind was spinning with turmoil. He wasn't entirely surprised by Sheena's decision to chase solely after Lloyd, but he was exasperated by Colette's willingness to jump headlong into the plan. He dropped his folded arms and let out a tired sigh before he spoke. "You couldn't bother to listen to your heads for a few seconds before your jumped headlong into the enemy's hands again?"

Sheena bristled immediately at his harsh tone, and she opened her mouth to shoot a verbal spear at him. He cut her off before she could do so however by raising his hand, and his eyes were chips of cerulean ice as he warned her to keep silent. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him so furious, and her instincts warned her to take caution of him. As much of a joker and lech as he was, Zelos Wilder was a dangerous force to be reckoned with when he became serious.

Zelos met her scowl before his eyes dropped to Colette, and she flinched as if his gaze was molten. He sighed quietly and shook his head from side to side with frustration. When he spoke again he made sure to keep his voice low and serious so that both would be paying astute attention to his words, "Everybody is worried about Lloyd and this insane stunt that everybody thinks he pulled. Everyone, not just you two, want to find him. Didn't you figure that our little ragtag team were going to mount a search for him, no questions asked? No, instead you decide to go off on your own, making it three people we'd be looking for, and splitting our forces which would make it easier for whoever the hell is after us to pick us off. Did the Desians beat your logic out of your head while they were torturing you, Sheena?"

Colette saw Sheena cringe, and she also saw the was the ninja gripped at her chest as if her heart was being torn open. Instinctively, she took a step forward and spread her arms out as she took a defensive stance in front of her friend. She raised her chin an inch and returned Zelos' cold stare with a frown. She defended Sheena with an immediate counter, "Don't rip open the wounds that have barely healed in her, Zelos. If you want to get your point across there are less cruel methods to do so. Sheena feels guilty, can't you understand that?"

"I understand feeling guilty, but that doesn't give her an excuse to put you, or any of us, in danger by being reckless." Zelos answered smoothly, and he watched as Sheena turned her head away and grit her teeth. He felt for the ninja, but he also had no intentions of putting the rest of his comrades in harm's way by condoning her behaviour. He shook his head again and growled, "Everybody is going to mount a search, and we're going to do it together. It's too dangerous to be apart right now, and you should know that better than anybody. You have to use your head."

"Do you even think he's innocent?"

Zelos felt his mask crack at the pointed and unforgiving question that Sheena threw at him. He allowed it to splinter and break apart, and he smiled weakly at her as if to answer her. However, the answer she wanted was in words and so he indulged her by speaking the bare truth of the matter. "The Renegades are almost one hundred percent certain that's he guilty. Her Highness is pretty much convinced too, which is a scary thing considering how much faith she has in him. So do I think he's guilty? Honestly, I don't know. The Lloyd I know wouldn't raise a hand to his comrades, not unless he had one hell of a good reason to. Did he have a reason to kill Neil? I've got no fricken clue. The only way I'm gonna find out if he's guilty or innocent is to find him, so that's what I'm going to do."

Colette bit down on her lower lip at the half answer, but she couldn't condemn him for it. She steadfastly believed that her dear childhood friend was perfectly innocent of the crime he was being blamed for, but she knew that Yuan wouldn't call Lloyd out on it if he didn't believe the twin swordsman had committed the crime. Raine likewise was a logical person by nature, and if the evidence she was being presented with was sound enough, she would agree with Yuan.

"Myself, Colette and Presea are pretty sure that Lloyd committed no crime, but Raine, Yuan and you don't seem that convinced." Sheena said pointedly, and it was her turn to cross her arms as she watched Zelos watching her. He didn't turn his eyes down as she glared at him, and she was both glad and angry for it. "Genis didn't say anything, and neither did Regal for that matter so we can count them as fence-sitters. It's still three against three."

"Whether or not Lloyd actually committed the crime or not isn't what this is about. We want to find him. His guilt, or innocence, is a matter for another time." Zelos retorted with a wave of his hand, and he saw her eyes flicker with anger at the very mention that Lloyd was capable of such an act. His eyes were dark as he continued on placidly, "We can put that aside to look for him, can't we? We all don't need to be of the same opinion."

"I'd say it'd help a hell of a lot. Three of us think he's innocent and three others assume he's guilty. With two who can't make up their minds or just don't want to, there's no way we can go along as a happy group to find him." Sheena pointed out darkly, and her fists clenched tightly as she added on angrily, "Half of us just want to find him for the sake of finding him, the other half are convinced that he killed somebody and basically are no better than mercenaries hunting for their next target to bring into jail. That's no way to form a search party."

Zelos was just about to reply to her when Colette stamped her foot on the ground and silenced him. Her eyes were angry as she looked from surprised face to surprised face, and her voice was tight as she exclaimed painfully, "Look at the two of you! When did you start to fight like this? Can't either of you see that this is exactly what they want? They couldn't kill us, so the next best thing is to shatter our trust for each other! We can't be divided right now, it's just like Zelos said! It's too dangerous, so we need to stick together no matter what!"

Sheena hung her head and sighed in defeat as Colette's words washed over her. She knew that both of the Chosens were correct, but she still couldn't shake the anger she felt at the suspicion hanging over Lloyd. Her fists slowly unclenched and she tiredly sat down on the bed and rubbed at her temples as her body slumped. She muttered weakly, "Well, our enemies are doing a hell of a job tearing us limb from limb. Whoever these guys are, they sure know what they're doing."

"They're a bunch of magnificent bastards. As much as you hate them, you have to give them their respect." Zelos agreed wearily, and he too rubbed at his forehead as if a migraine as beginning there. He looked from Sheena's exhausted expression to the trembling lips of Colette and let out a sigh. He stepped forward and lightly touched the blond's shoulder and she looked up at him with a heartbreakingly confused look on her face. He tugged her close for a hug and muttered a quiet, "I'm sorry," into her hair.

Colette made a quiet sound of disagreement, but she returned his embrace gratefully. She knew he hated being the one who spoke cruel words because they needed to be spoken, and she wanted him to know that she didn't hate him for it. She loosened her hold on him after a moment and allowed his hand to linger on her arm before she asked softly, "What are we going to do, Zelos?"

Zelos smiled at her sheepishly and then met Sheena's darkened eyes before he nodded firmly at her. His arm found its new place around Colette's slim shoulders and he spoke forcefully to them, "I already told you. We're going to find Lloyd. I'm going to wake everybody up and we're going to discuss this together. Regardless of who thinks what about Lloyd, we all are going to look for him. If we need to split into two teams to do it, then fine, but we're going to make sure that we're equally balanced so we can take care of each other. That's the most important thing right now. Do you agree?"

Sheena smiled roguishly at him and pulled herself to her feet. She shook her hair from her face and straightened her posture even if it hurt her healing body. She settled her hands on her hips and tilted her head as if she was pleased to be acing a new journey ahead of her regardless of the reason for it. "Yes, I agree. Let's go and wake everybody up then and get this show started."

**AN**

**Well, didn't that take forever? It's been months since I last updated, and that's one hell of a long block... I wonder if anyone forgot or stopped caring? XD I wouldn't really mind. Anyway, my internet was cut... and at the moment I'm living down in London with my older sister for a few days a week to help her out so I have the ability to upload! Lol, I'm a bit of a weirdo, my apologies... **

**I can't promise that the updates will continue on a perfect schedule. Maybe it'll be another handful of months before I update again... but I thank everyone who has stuck with me through my outrageous battle with writer's block, and everybody who will continuously be waiting for me throughout that time! You have my gratitude!**

**Sky**


	10. Beginning the Journey

**Mizuho**

**Midday**

The morning had been fraught with argument and discourse but somehow an agreement had been reached between the remaining seven members of the Heros of Regeneration. While Zelos and Sheena had predicted that the numbers would be almost evenly split down the middle, there had been enough of an agreement that the battle of Lloyd's innocence versus his guilt was a matter to settle only after the man in question had been found. The worry for his health won out over the opinion on the crime, and once again the Heros of Regeneration had set out on a second journey. The first destination had been agreed upon at once, and the seven had taken their Rheairds to travel to the village of Mizuho to begin searching for information.

Sheena sighed tiredly as she rubbed at her arms and frowned at the closed doors that Igaguri had disappeared into when she had come to him asking for weaponry and armour. At first she had worried that she'd offended him, but she had caught a glimpse of a mischievous smile on his face when he left that made her both suspicious and eager to see what secret he was keeping. He had been gone for almost a full ten minutes before he'd returned carrying an ancient looking box in his arms and set it down between them.

He gently nudged it towards her, and his dark eyes twinkled playfully as he opened the box and allowed her to glimpse at the treasures that lay inside. A kimono lay folded up perfectly at the bottom and cushioned a set of battle cards that Sheena was quite unfamiliar with. The diamond-shaped weapons were safely settled upon the layers of the kimono and seemed to shine despite the obvious wear and tear on them.

Igaguri spoke gently as Sheena stared down at the weaponry and armour inside of the box as if she was entranced, "This kimono and the set of summoning cards have been in our clan for many generations. The Chief of Mizuho used the weapons and armour before you during the days when Mizuho had yet to be chased into secrecy and fought side-by-side with the Kingdom of Tethe'alla." His eyes laughed as he jokingly added on, "A legend insists that the woman who wore this kimono fought during the days of the Kharlan War itself, which makes these things relics if you think about it."

Sheena was too stunned to laugh at his good humour, and she reached out wordlessly to touch the thick fabrics of the ancient kimono. The texture was unlike anything she had ever seen in something so old, as it still glistened as if it was new and unlike the weapons it carried, it had no rips or coarseness. The feel was almost like silk, and Sheena exhaled appreciatively as her fingers ghosted over the seams of the armour. She had no doubt that countless magical spells and curses had been sewn into the gown to make it into a protective garment that no one had ever seen. "Wow..."

"These are the treasures of Mizuho, and have never been shown to anyone outside of the position of the Chief." Igaguri explained as he slowly lifted the battle cards from the box and set them down on the floor. He also removed the kimono from its resting place and set it down next to the weaponry it belonged with, and he met Sheena's eyes with a serious but gentle smile. "I believe that these garments and cards have been waiting for a ninja of your skill. As the former Chief of Mizuho, and as your Grandfather... I pass this treasure onto you and hope that they will serve you well in your campaign against your new enemies. You have proven yourself more than worthy of them as a master summoner and guardian user."

"G-Grandpa... I..." Sheena stammered nervously, and she recoiled away from the relics that sat there waiting for her to touch them. She was honoured to be faced with such a gift, but she had doubts that she could really take them and make use of them like the Chief before her had. She looked up nervously into the eyes of the man who had saved her life as an infant and trained her to be an expert ninja under his careful guidance. He nodded his head solemnly and she hesitantly reached out to take the kimono from the floor and stare down at it. She lowered her head and bowed before him, and spoke quietly, "I humbly accept this gift, Grandpa... I will make good use of them, I swear."

Igaguri chuckled and clambered to his feet before laying his hand fondly on top of her hair. He nodded towards the doorway and said cheerfully, "I'll be waiting for you to show me how it looks on you. I'm sure it'll be perfect for you. The change of weaponry and armour might be a bit much for you at first, but I'm sure you'll quickly adjust. After all, they have been waiting for you."

Sheena watched him leave, and she laughed softly as she turned her gaze back to the clothes laid in her lap. She slowly got to her feet and began to undress, ignoring the aching pain she still felt in her muscles. Despite Regal's treatment and Zelos' aid, she still couldn't rid herself of the burning sensation of her healed wounds. Raine had told her that the memory of the injuries would be with her for quite some time, even though her body had been healed of them. It was a reflex reaction of the mind when a healing art was used on a human body, and was one of the few unfortunate drawbacks to being healed.

The first layer of the kimono was thicker than she had expected, and upon closer inspection, Sheena was delightfully surprised to realize that a leather-like material had been used to shield her body from weaponry that would make it past most armours. The dark cloth clung to her every curve, and though it bit into her bandages she knew it would protect her body well. The fabric was simply a black leotard-like piece that stretched out along her limbs to her ankles and wrists. When she was sure that it fit her perfectly she reached for the second layer.

Sheena took a long moment to stare at the ivory and violet coloured silk that was to cover the undergarments. The gi looked almost identical to the old one she had worn before, and she pulled it on without hesitation. It draped her body comfortably and she rubbed her arms before pulling the sleeves taut and looping the bands around her fingers to hold them in place. She glanced down at the open front and smiled sheepishly before pulling it closed and tying the gentle lily-coloured belt tight around her waist.

She tucked away the strange new cards that were to be her weapons before glancing at the mirror that was propped up in the corner. She didn't remember it being there before and a sneaking suspicion told her that the former chief had placed it there on purpose. She sighed wearily before turning around entirely to take a look at herself.

The kimono fit her like a second skin and yet revealed very little about the wounds and scars underneath. As strange as it seemed to the ninja it clothed, the battle attire was almost exactly the same as what she had worn before. The colour scheme had changed and the neckline more modest, but otherwise... She had seemed to go back in time.

'I'm ready now.'

The words bolstered the shattered pieces of her resolve, and her lips thinned as she nodded to her own reflection. She turned her gaze from the mirror and walked out of the small and dark room to join the rest of her comrades. She didn't need to look long for them, as they were sitting in a semicircle around Tiga, Orochi and Igaguri in what was clearly a briefing. She sat down discreetly by the doors and listened intently as they continued to speak to the gathered heroes.

"... will be difficult, even for our network." Tiga was saying, and his dark eyes flickered from face to face before settling on Sheena. He nodded his head in silent greeting before clearing his throat and continuing on, "The enemy you face is new to us. While we've heard of uprisings in the more turbulent territories that are known for attacks on half-elves... they seemed unrelated to the movements of the Desians."

"It proves that the new front for the Desians know the meaning of secrecy." Zelos muttered with an annoyed roll of his eyes. He had a difficult time feeling sympathetic to the ninja of Mizuho considering all that happened, even if he knew his frustration was unwarranted. They had suffered already from the outbreak of violence in the attack on their chief, and he knew they'd stop at nothing to regain their honour.

"What about the names we gave you?" Genis questioned, and he cringed a little as his hand rested on the swathe of bandages that wrapped around his torso. He ignored the steadying hand of his sister on his arm and persisted to Tiga, "Auin and Tasogare? Did those names help at all?"

"I looked into those names myself and only found the smallest of details when I searched the imperial records." Igaguri answered, and a deep frown etched its way into his face. His eyes lingered on Presea for a moment before he elaborated, "As you know there was census records carried out in the towns of Tethe'alla and those records are stored away in the palace... it appears they both were residents of Ozette, almost nine-hundred years ago."

"Ozette?" Presea repeated in shock, and all eyes turned to her instinctively. She was unsure how to react to this news, and she only could shake her head as she muttered, "I never heard of their names before, and I certainly never saw them... But half-elves living there of all places...? I can't imagine they lived easy lives."

"Not necessarily." Raine interrupted with a shake of her own head. A thoughtful gleam entered her eyes and she rested a hand on her chin as she mused, "Nine hundred years ago...? Ozette was likely a very different place so many years ago. Was there any stories about what prompted such a hatred of half-elves particularly in Ozette?"

"No, none that come to mind. It... simply was always that way."

"That does give us something to hunt for. Learning the past can give quite an insight to the future." Tiga nodded his head sagely and looked to Orochi who likewise nodded. He left the room in a flash and left the second in command to say, "Scouts will be sent to delve into the history of Ozette in case the names Tasogare and Auin have a connection... In the meantime, we will likewise reactivate all of the old spies in the Desian cells to see if there can be additional information to gather. I cannot promise you what we will find... but you can rest assured that we will devote all of our resources to uncovering the secrets that the Desians are hiding."

"Thank you, Tiga." Raine nodded her head politely, and she then turned to Igaguri and nodded once to him as well. "And you also, Vice-Chief Igaguri. The aid of Mizuho will help us tremendously."

Igaguri accepted the praise with a smile and a nod of his own, then his eyes grew stormy in his old face. He clasped his hands together on his knees and he asked the heroes who sat before him pointedly, "Now... I assume that there's still more. You must be wondering of where your next destination will be, since we could not aid you as well as any of us would of liked, yes?"

Zelos smiled wryly at the old ninja's sharp intuition, and he looked around at the equally guilty faces of his comrades. It was true that they had hoped for more from their Mizuho friends, but sadly their outlet for information had failed. He spoke up for them now at their hesitation and said, "Do you have any idea where we should start out search then, Igaguri?"

"I cannot guess where your Lloyd would have ventured off to... but..." Igaguri put on an expression of wry amusement much similar to Zelos and he leaned back slightly before he began, "I am not sure how much stock you will put into what I am about to suggest... but I'm sure as Sylvaranti you know of the fortune-teller in Triet?"

"Yes." Colette replied with a firm nod as the others around her glanced curiously at each other. Only Raine and Genis knew of the aid they had received from the fortune-teller at the beginning of their journey of regeneration for long ago. She furrowed her eyebrows at Igaguri's implication and asked hesitantly, "Are you saying we should try our luck there...?"

"No, not at all. There is an elf that has recently been seen in Luin, and she has offered her services as something akin to it. Her readings, if you will call them that, have been surprisingly astute. It may be worthwhile to go there and see if she can aid you in any way." Igaguri chuckled at his own words and then added on somewhat wearily, "Of course she was only spotted there several weeks ago, and from what I was told, she intends to continue moving on. You may have missed her already, but... Any chance is indeed a chance, correct?"

Raine furrowed her eyebrows at this suggestion, and she exchanged a glance with Genis. His eyes were bright but somewhat sorrowful, and she knew that he had jumped to the same thought she had. Virginia had gone missing from Exire before their reunification of the world, and ever since she had failed to be seen again. Raine knew already that the odds of her mother surviving two years in her mental state was slim to none... but somewhere deep inside she was still clinging to hope. She took in a breath to accept the offer but was beaten to it by Regal on her left.

"It's worth a try. However what you said about the fortune-teller in Triet likewise makes me wonder. Visiting both locations may be a good place to begin." Regal answered with a thoughtful frown, and he looked at Sheena who had her jaw set in grim determination. However he raised a hand to his chin and added on, "Though... to separate now when we have only just come together may not be a good thing. We were attacked in pairs already."

"We're much more prepared for an attack than we were before, and no one said anything about just being in pairs." Zelos argued with a wicked gleam in his eyes. The lust for battle was obvious in every line of his body and his hand skipped almost tenderly on the hilt of his favoured blade. "One group goes to Triet and the other to Luin. We could meet up somewhere in between, like Sybak or something."

"I agree, only if we make sure to evenly split the group so that there are no troubles with fighting strength." Genis added on with a firm expression. He looked around at the others near him and their looks of determination fuelled his desire and he began at once, "Then–"

"I'll be going to Triet." Sheena cut him off with a sharp word, and at his surprise she softened a little and elaborated rather sheepishly, "S-Sorry... The places where we made the pacts with the Summon Spirits are also where we hid caches of the Exspheres we hadn't given to Yuan yet. I locked them away with the powers of the Summon Spirits opposite to whoever was residing at that seal. I'll need to check them all out eventually, just in case. And... W-Well, I know the fortune-teller there too."

"That is a sound reason." Raine agreed, and she took a quick glance around to measure the strengths and weaknesses of those beside her. She then suggested, "Then how does this sound? Sheena, Genis, Regal and Colette will travel to Triet, while myself, Presea and Zelos go to Luin. It seems an equal enough arrangement, considering that Genis is still healing from his wounds."

Colette hid the sudden wash of unease that went through her at the names listed, and she bit down on her lower lip. She wasn't pleased about splitting up the group when they had just come together, but she did understand the need to move and move quickly. Already two valuable helpers from their journey were dead, and their unofficial leader was missing and presumed guilty of murder. "That sounds alright, I guess... but we shouldn't be separated for too long. We have to get back together as soon as possible."

"Three days?" Zelos suggested with a mild shrug, but his face was anything but a casual smile. He ran his fingers along the hilt of his blade for the second time and idly explained, "When you take out travel time or maybe half a day, it doesn't seem like a bad amount of time. We get in, supply at the market, do our business, rest up, and then get the hell out."

"Three days sounds like more than enough time." Presea reasoned with a thoughtful tilt of her head, though she too looked uneasy at the thought of being separated from Genis. Part of her wondered at Raine's choosing even though she trusted the professor with her life. The pairs they had made since the end of the journey were divided now, and she couldn't help but muse that Raine had separated them intentionally.

"We should get moving immediately, then." Sheena ambled to her feet, but she still cringed at the aching pull in her back. She forced the pain into the deepest recesses of her mind before turning to the men who had taken care of her home while she had been travelling the new world. She folded her hands demurely before her and bowed to them, and her voice was low and full of respect as she uttered, "I thank you for watching over Mizuho in my absence. As the chief of Mizuho I will solve this mystery and protect the new world we've created."

"We have faith in you. In all of you." Tiga answered with a gentle smile, and he gestured to the seven before him that were likewise bowing before them in gratitude. He then pointed his hand to the doorway that would lead them towards an entirely new adventure and bid them farewell solemnly. "May the gods be with you, and safe journey to you all."

**

* * *

**

**Fooji Mountains**

**Late Night**

A cold wind whipped the ragged fabric of the dark cloak Lloyd wore into his face, but he ignored the sharp feeling of the material striking his cheeks numbly. The fire he had made almost half a day ago was burning serenely at his feet, and he held out his hands to it with a quiet sigh.

Ruins of the band of robbers that had camped here before him were still strewn around the tiny outcropping of rocks that made the swordsman shelter. Bones from their previous meals littered the tiny circle where he had made the campfire, and he wondered errantly what had become of them. Though the worlds had returned to its natural state and there was a relative, albeit shaky, peace between the Sylvaranti and Tethe'allans there were still many ragged groups of thieves and vagabonds.

Lloyd had already run afoul of one when he had been travelling the distance between the ruins of Balacruf and the Fooji mountain range. The group had been intent on robbing him and with no choice left to him; he had cut them down where they stood. No one could see his face and live if they could risk revealing him. Tasogare had enforced only a single law on him and warned him that it were the only one that he had to follow for her to hold up her end of their bargain.

Follow her orders, and the orders of her master. It turned his stomach in ways he would have never thought possible to be under the thumb of a creature as sadistic and cold as Tasogare, but his choices were incredibly limited. It hurt even worse to be at the beck and call of the twisted existence that Mithos Yggdrasil had become, but again he had no choice. Her warning of what would happen if he refused to uphold this rule still shook him to the core even when he was so far from her impassive tawny gaze.

"_Those 'messages' we left weren't only for your friends, Irving. They were for you. The only reason why they live now is because you are here. Remain here, and they will continue to live. It was easy to injure them... imagine how easy it will be to kill them."_

He wanted to fight her, to bring down Yggdrasil as he had before but the strength necessary to do so was beyond him. He had needed all seven of his comrades in order to bring the ancient hero of the Kharlan War to his knees, and he would need them again. Alone he was merely a thorn in the angel's side, and he wouldn't die needlessly fighting a losing battle. Nor would he risk the lives of his friends by arrogantly resisting the orders he was given. He had seen already how ruthless the angels he obeyed now were.

How he'd been reprimanded for disobeying the first order had proved that ruthlessness. Tasogare had commanded he steal the Exspheres hidden away in Palmacosta and so he'd slipped into the Academy to find them. To his horror, and her fury, he had been seen by the guards patrolling the halls. He'd had no choice but to dispatch them, and Tasogare had then commanded him to leave none alive. He'd resisted her order and what had happened afterwards had been something like a dream, one that he only woke up from when he had flown long and far from the scene of the murder. When he'd finally realized what had taken place he'd been tempted to turn around and kill the angel for what she had made him do... and only the true horror of her icy loyalty had made him continue forward..

The fire's crackle was like a whimper, and Lloyd robotically threw a log that rested near his knee into the fire. It almost instantly rose up an inch and began to hiss almost with pleasure at the new source of energy it found. Lloyd flexed his cold fingers and held them even closer to his only source of warmth, and he stared deep into the blazing embers.

His mind projected scattered memories that tore new holes in his already broken heart, but he couldn't look away. The fact that he would never again hear Sheena's voice or feel her touch made him stare deep at the images that replayed before him. He wouldn't ever ignore them, because his memories held the truth to him.

He was doing all that he was doing for her. He'd failed her already by allowing her to die, but he refused to allow her final actions to be in vain. He'd quietly follow the orders he received now, only to turn at the last moment when he had the chance to strike the death blow to those foolish enough to rob him of her. He wasn't sure when, or how it would happen, but he would keep his promise to the angel who'd taken Sheena from him.

"I'll avenge you, Sheena..." Lloyd muttered quietly, and he curled in on himself as he stared deep into the fire. His chest ached painfully, and he raised a hand to his throat where Corrine's bell hung against his skin. The cool metal was nestled against the hallow of his throat, and he turned it this way and that to hear its sad chime. It was as if the precious memento understood that his sorrow. "I promise... I won't let you have died in vain."

"_Were you in love with her?"_

The words Tasogare had spoken to him when she had taken Sheena still haunted and confused him. He wasn't sure how to answer the question she'd asked, even now. He could barely make sense of the myriad of emotion that swirled within him, and it clouded his mind and knotted up his instincts. All he knew was that since her death he had felt nothing, and knew only a bone-crushing agony that had made his exile from Iselia seem like nothing but a rip in his flesh.

"I want you back..." The words left him in a breathless sigh, and his head fell uselessly into his hands. Never before had he felt so powerless, or hopeless. His rebellious spirit had been thrown in chains under the weight of the threats that hung over the lives of the people he held so dear. "Dammit..."

The orders he had been given from Tasogare flickered absently in his mind, and he leaned back tiredly against the back of the cliff. His next destination was to be the Seal of Water, in the destroyed remains of the Thoda Island. It had been next to impossible to restore the old seal back to what it once was even with all of the resources available, and so it had been left in ruins.

Lloyd smiled ruefully as he remembered Raine's outrage at the news that little could be done to rebuild the seal. His professor had been absolutely livid and railed for hours. She eventually had ended up muttering something about wanting to show her respects, and then Sheena had hatched the plan to hide the Exspheres that were awaiting Yuan's retrieval in the abandoned seals. It was a sound plan, especially when the summoner suggested to seal away the crystals with the powers of the Summon Spirits. Only she, and him with the power of the Eternal Sword could break the seals to retrieve the stones.

A tired chuckle escaped him at the rueful irony of the situation. The seals would stand until another summoner formed pacts with the Spirits. Even then he could still break the seals with the power of the Eternal Sword. The Summon Spirits were free of their pacts but would continue to hold the barriers, at least until Lloyd destroyed them himself.

'Did they know that we'd sealed away the Exspheres with the power of the Summon Spirits...? It... It'd explain why they killed her... but Tasogare said so herself that she couldn't make pacts with the Summon Spirits because she lacked her elven magic.' Lloyd frowned as his thoughts spun in circles around his brain. 'Mithos... he'd still be able to make pacts, right...? If he had a new body maybe... but then he was their summoner a long time ago... I don't think it'd be possible for him to make a second pact...?'

Lloyd groaned in annoyance and slammed his hand into his forehead. It annoyed him to no end that he'd never asked more questions about summoning. Everything was hanging on a thin thread that could bring so much crashing down around his ears. There was simply nothing he could do with the Summon Spirits himself, and he had no idea if Mizuho boasted more ninja capable of summoning like Sheena had.

The mere thought sent a stab of pain through him, and he sighed tiredly. He didn't want to think about what was going to happen because of her death. About what _was_ happening because of it. With the Summon Spirits free of their bonds he could only imagine what would happen if an enemy got a hold of such power. He shuddered in anxiety. Sheena's skills had served them well, and he hated to imagine what it would be like to be on the receiving end of such strength.

'This... This is insane... The future we all worked so hard for is out of our reach now.'

The fire began to splutter uselessly again, and Lloyd sighed tiredly as he reached down to fetch a second log. His hand touched nothing but air, and he chuckled wearily. His supply of firewood had dwindled, which meant his stay was overdone. He had to continue moving on.

Lloyd slowly got to his feet, and his limbs creaked wearily at his movements. His left hand ventured to the sword on his waist, and he drew it with a quiet click. Flamberge glowed slightly in the darkness of the night, and he slammed the blade into the depths of the fire.

At once the fiery sword let out a deathly hiss as it absorbed the dying flames, and Lloyd held it still until the last ember had grown cold and still. The blade pulsed gently before he lifted it from the flames and sheathed it again. He could still feel the hot energy from his sword radiating through its protective sheath, and he almost smiled. His hip would be warm for the next hour or so before the energy within the blade calmed down.

On impulse he reached over his waist to touch the icy hilt of the Vorpal Sword. Even sheathed after a few hours of no use it still sat cold on his hip. As the antithesis of Flamberge he was used to the difference between the two, and the energy the blades radiated failed to bother him now. In truth, he actually had come to enjoy it. After travelling for almost a full year after leaving Flamberge by his mother's grave he had grown to miss the soothing heat of Kratos' sword. It had only been when he'd faced one of the few remnants of the faithful Desian hordes that he'd returned to Iselia to once again wield the Material Blades in entirety. He admitted sheepishly that he simply felt whole with both swords strapped to his waist and at his disposal.

As he stood in the darkness he took one last look at the borrowed campsite he had used for the last day. He wondered if he would miss it when he left the area and headed east, but part of him doubted it. There would be many more campsites that he would make in the future, and none of them would ever truly draw him. There was no semblance of welcome to anywhere he stayed, and it was because he travelled alone.

He felt heartsick. It hadn't been the first time that he had found himself missing the comrades he had spent well over a year alongside, but at the time he hadn't been truly alone. He wanted to return back to his daily lessons that had punctuated his travels and the training that he shared with his more battle-minded comrades. The normalcy of the journeying was gone from him now, and he was left wishing for things he could not have.

Still he mused and wondered on how his comrades fared in the new world. He regretted not keeping in contact with them since he had begun journeying alongside Sheena. His last contact with any of his former companions had been with Presea almost seven or so months ago. She'd told him cheerfully that the reconstruction in Ozette had almost been completed, and soon they'd be taking their resources to Palmacosta to aid Lezareno's efforts in the city, which were likewise almost finished.

He'd been glad to hear that Regal's efforts were paying off in the reconstruction of the cities damaged by the rampage of the Giant Kharlan Tree. Many of the Sylvaranti had been shocked to find that many Tethe'allans had been willing to aid them. Lezareno had put forth almost all of their assets into rehabilitating the continents of Aselia, and the company already had completely restored the elven village of Heimdall while working on Ozette, Iselia, and Palmacosta. The husband and wife team that Regal and Raine had become were already legendary in the world of nobility.

Lloyd began to walk along the darkened path that he knew by heart. He had no idea how the two Chosen that had risked their lives to halt the mounting unrest between the Sylvaranti and Tethe'allans were doing. He worried for them the most out of the pairs that his comrades had split into, as their ventures were more dangerous and political than any his other friends had gotten into.

'I... I hope that they're all going to be alright...'

**AN: **

**A much shorter chapter this time around... only six pages. XD Oh well. To be frank, I ran out of ideas! (Le gasp!) There's only so much material I can put in each chapter, because some ideas have to be separated! In any case, I'm happy that I managed to write another chapter in such a short amount of time... It makes me very happy. **

**I've been keeping my laptop close by every day, (since I left my damn MP3 charger in London and so I need a source of music) and that's helped me be able to write at any time. That surprisingly works well in writing out chapters. I think I'm going to do that more often...**

**Anyway, I've been working like mad... and replaying Tales of Symphonia. I have nothing else to play, to be frank, because along with my charger I left my DS there! So I began my ToS craze anew. I've beaten it for the fifth time last night, (The 24****th**** of February, just to let you know) and so I started again. This time I'm determined to take the "hard path" and shake up my usual route of beating the game. Rest assured that I'm doing the "Sheena route" and no one else, because that is so how I roll. XD**

**While I'm boring you with my epic long author's note... I want to pose an idea. As you know, two years passed between the events of Tales of Symphonia and this fic, A New World. What happened in those two years are referenced occasionally in story, but it doesn't always seem real, or canon. Some events I've wanted to elaborate on, and so I came up with an idea. A series of oneshots about events that happened between ToS and ANW. Anyone interested?**

**I'll be remodelling my profile page and putting up a poll asking what my readers of ANW would like to see... along with posting several ideas that have been floating around my fevered brain. (When my internet is restored. April. APRIL!) I believe that I've hit a stride with ANW... and I want to keep going as long as I have it with me. Since my trips to London have been put on an indefinite hold... I'll have more time to write, but not research. Some updates are going to be delayed because of what I still need to search for, and some chapters are going to be re-edited because of my idiocy in updating too quick. It's gonna be a long process, (even longer considering when the HELL we're gonna get our internet back) but... I'm not giving up!**

**Review replies... are out of the question for now. XD Since I don't have the ability to look up what people said about my uploads... but I promise that you'll be seeing them in future updates when my net is back and safe. So, for now... Thank you for reading, reviewing, and sticking with me!**

**~ Sky**

Fooji Mountains


	11. Shaky First Steps

**Luin**

**The Phoenix Inn**

**Early Morning**

"Pietro, there are visitors for you downstairs."

Pietro looked up from the swamp his desk had become and let out a groan of exasperation. The innkeeper smiled ruefully before closing the door to leave him. She knew the exact reason behind his annoyance, and she had hated to interrupt him. However the guests below had been insistent and they looked so travel-weary... it likewise helped that the one leading the trio had a statue built of her just outside of the item shop, and so the innkeeper had hurriedly raced to the top floor to alert the mayor of the town who hadn't shown his face for a few days.

Pietro had been buried in his research for almost two years, and he had been hoping that it would take only a little more time before he could begin journeying across the newly reunited world of Aselia. Many of the maps he spent so much time pouring over were useless to him, but he'd discovered that several of the older maps of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, when overlapped, came close to portraying the world they lived in now.

However Pietro had to put his lacklustre mapmaking skills on hold as he slowly got to his feet. His joints creaked unhappily at his movement, but he ignored it and cast a glance over his shoulder before he ventured forward. The woman responsible for saving him so long ago, Sophia, had become his wife, and she was expecting their child in only a handful of weeks. It was another one of the many reasons why he'd had to put his ideas of travel on hold.

She was still sleeping soundly in their bedroom, and so he began going downstairs to greet his guests. He ran a hand self-consciously over the small growth of a beard that was beginning to show on his chin, and he wondered if his guests would be offended by his haggard appearance. He came up short on the stairway when he saw the three waiting for him in the foyer of the inn. A smile broke over his face and he exclaimed in delighted surprise, "Raine! And Zelos and Presea as well? It's such a pleasure to see you in Luin! What brings you here?"

"Pietro." Raine greeted him with a rueful smile, and both Zelos and Presea nodded their heads in greeting. She extended her hand to him and he shook it cheerfully before she answered his question, "We were sent here by friends of ours. They had told me that there was an elf here who was... powerful. Able to made predictions with uncanny accuracy. As the mayor of the town I wondered if you would know of her whereabouts?"

"Ah, you mean the strange one who came by our town a few weeks ago." Pietro nodded in understanding, but his eyes were confused at Raine's dire tone. He gestured to the small dining room that crowded one end of the foyer and said hesitantly, "Here. Come and sit, and have something to eat and drink. We'll talk then. You look weary."

"Thank you, Pietro." Raine nodded her head gratefully, and she took a seat at the end of the table. Presea and Zelos likewise took seats at the right and left, while Pietro sat on the far end facing Raine. The innkeeper brushed by them carrying a tray of food and tea, and she served them politely before vanishing back to her duties. When the four had begun to eat Zelos piped up with questions.

"So, the elf was actually here?"

"Yes, she was." Pietro set down his cup and he frowned thoughtfully as he stared at the dark liquid that filled it. He explained with a slight rueful note in his voice, "She just appeared out of nowhere one day and came to the inn asking for lodging. She had no gald to her name but she offered to perform healing and such for a few night's stay."

"And such...? Then you mean she _was_ a fortune-teller?" Presea asked curiously and with a tilt of her head. The way Pietro had spoken made her assume that it was the healing that had struck the town the most instead of her clairvoyance, and she added on, "Or did you know her as a healer?"

"I would call her a healer rather than a fortune-teller, though she did have a strange sixth sense about some things." Pietro agreed with a low chuckle, and he glanced upstairs to where his wife lay sleeping. He explained with a dry amusement, "You see, I think the entire nonsense about her being a psychic of sorts was only made because of me. She tended to Sophia who had come down with a fever because of her pregnancy... and she told me that my wife was carrying my son. How she knew, I have no idea, but when the townsfolk heard about it they assumed she was a fortune-teller or some sort of gypsy."

"Most likely she sensed your unborn child when she was treating your wife." Raine mused with a bit of a frown, and she looked over at Zelos who cocked an eyebrow. She explained with a sheepish smile, "It's an old elven trick... They sense the mana of all things around them, and because of it they're able to identify illnesses, pregnancies... those sorts of things."

"So, she won't be able to help us out with our problem then." Zelos sighed dejectedly and he leaned back in his seat with a scowl. He folded his arms behind his head and muttered, "She's no psychic, so that means no help in finding Lloyd. She was just a wandering elf."

"Lloyd is missing?"

"He was kidnapped along with Sheena during their Exsphere collection. Sheena was tortured and then mysteriously released, but we haven't learned of Lloyd's location..." Raine frowned and then looked from Presea to Zelos as if unsure whether or not to share the only detail left of the swordsman. Presea did not meet her gaze, but Zelos caught her eyes and nodded firmly. The professor sighed and then explained, "Neil, the governor-general of Palmacosta was murdered and... Lloyd is the prime suspect."

"Lloyd? There must be some mistake." Pietro shook his head in disbelief, and his eyes flared with anger as he leaned forward in his seat. "There's no way Lloyd would murder in cold blood, it isn't in him. Neil was his friend. He wouldn't kill a comrade-in-arms."

Zelos smiled at Pietro's indignation, and he noticed that Presea looked quite pleased with his reaction too. Raine was shaking her head from side to side indulgently, but he knew that she was happy with the man's defending of her student. He chuckled as he told the incensed man, "Well, we're trying to find him. The only way to prove his innocence is to the find the guy, right? We were hoping that the elf here might be able to do some voodoo magic and find him for us."

Pietro's frown deepened and he shook his head again in apology. "I'm sorry to say that Virginia was no psychic, at least not in the way that you were told... And even if she had been, she left Luin almost two weeks or so ago."

The shattering of dishes followed Raine's jump to her feet, and all faces turned to her in unison. Her eyes were wide in shock and Zelos's own narrowed as understanding washed over him. Presea raised a hand to her mouth in astonishment, and the professor whispered in disbelief, "Did you say Virginia? Are you sure about that name?"

"Y-Yes." Pietro blinked as he slowly got to his feet too in confusion. The blood had drained from Raine's face and she looked as though she might faint as his words, and he stepped forward to steady her instinctively. "Do you know her?"

Raine placed a hand over her mouth as a vicious wave of nausea ripped through her body. Her mind spun angrily at the fates who seemed determined to keep her from finding the woman she so desperately wanted to see. She forced herself to breathe in deep to calm her anxiety, and she answered Pietro in a steely voice, "Virginia is my mother. She fled from Exire almost two years ago and has been missing ever since. I had no idea she had even survived the reunification..."

Zelos cocked an eyebrow at her harsh words, but then he knew it was simply her way to deal with emotions through logic. She was a cruel creature at times, but she always did it for the benefit of those around her. Someone had to play the devil's advocate, and Raine took up the gauntlet without complaint. He asked the words that Raine had neglected to say in interest of keeping the atmosphere relatively comfortable. "How was she? Healthy?"

"Reasonably, yes. She was travel-weary, but she seemed fine." Pietro confirmed with a nod, and he helped Raine return to her seat. He opted to stay standing himself, and he then crossed his arms over his chest before he continued on, "Perhaps a little thin... but healthy. Though she had no gald I was glad to give her a room, even if she hadn't been able to barter for it."

Zelos noted that Raine seemed relieved, even if she wasn't going to say it aloud. Though he hadn't seen how the elf had acted in Exire he knew well that her sanity had been slipping. It was a near miracle that she had come so far from the village in the sky, and in reasonably healthy condition no less. "Do you have any idea where she might be heading? Did she mention it?"

"She only left the inn once, and that was when she was going to resume her travel." Pietro replied with a shake of his head, but a hint of a frown furrowed his eyebrows. Then his eyes widened and he snapped his fingers as the thought struck him abruptly. "Ah, but I remember that during the time she was here there had been rumours of a gang of Desian sympathizers going through town. It may have been the reason why she decided to leave so suddenly."

"Desian sympathizers?" Presea's eyes narrowed at once and she stiffened in her seat as a wave of distaste washed through her. She noted similar reactions from Raine and Zelos and she asked Pietro seriously, "Are you aware of their whereabouts, Pietro?"

"Actually, those I do know. We were careful to keep an eye on them when they left the city." Pietro carefully cast his eyes around the inn before he leaned close and informed them in low tones, "They headed northeast, towards the abandoned ranch." He looked to the map that hung just to his left and then made quick calculations before saying to them, "Most likely they're there already. You probably will be able to find them if you left now and travelled via Rheaird. I can't guarantee if they would know anything about Virginia however..."

"Desian sympathizers may know something about the recent uprisings throughout Aselia. It would be wise to seek them out." Raine replied stonily, and she steepled her fingers underneath her chin as the thoughts ran wild. Only two days remained before they were to meet up in Sybak with the others, but Raine already knew that they would have enough time to travel there and question the rogues. While it wasn't their reason for travelling to Luin, the information they could find would most definitely be useful.

"We're in the area, why not take a look?" Zelos suggested with a little smile, and he glanced sideways to see if Presea agreed with him. She nodded firmly and that only made the redheaded Chosen's smile widen. He locked gazes with Raine and then got to his feet in a swift and easy movement. He nodded politely to Pietro and said to him, "Well, that worked out surprisingly well. Thanks for the help, Pietro. We're gonna get going to the abandoned ranch nearby."

"Ah... You're welcome... and... be careful."

"We will. Thank you for your concern."

* * *

**Triet**

**Seal of Fire**

**Afternoon**

A trickle of sweat ran down the small of Genis' back, and he shuddered as he followed close behind Regal into the depths of the seal. Sheena was leading the four with Colette bringing up the rear, and the half-elf glanced down impulsively to see the line of lava that seemed to stare up hungrily at him from below. The small rock path they were on seemed to grow smaller with every step forward they took, and Genis let out an annoyed breath as he switched his kendama from one hand to another. The silence of their little quad had grown oppressive, and he spoke in jest to break it. "Geez... Is it just me, or has this place gotten even hotter since we were last here?"

Regal chuckled slightly at the young mage's attempt at levity, and he smiled when he saw the profound effect it had on Sheena. The summoner turned her head to look back at Genis and a grateful smile lifted her lips. Colette giggled from behind the mage and Regal let out a pleased sigh at the sudden infusion of warmth that was brought back into them.

Sheena shook her head as she returned her gaze back to the path before her, but the smile remained on her lips. She was abruptly glad that Raine had separated them so, because she doubted that Zelos would have amused her like Genis had. She idly fingered the sharp edges of her new battle cards, which she'd learned were called Divine Judgement. Despite being haggard in appearance the cards were exceptionally sturdy in her hands. She already had misjudged their power and had cut herself on one when she had been practising with them. Colette had scolded her fiercely for it and bandaged the wound herself, much to Sheena's chagrin.

However she'd been startled to find that she wasn't the only one who had equipped new weaponry. In their times apart it seemed that almost every member of the group had found a new weapon that suited them. Despite their upgraded power she knew that every comrade of hers disliked the fact that they had to use them in a new battle. They all shared a love for adventure deep within, but no one wanted to be hauled on a journey like this.

Colette sensed the drop in Sheena's morale and so she quickly piped up from the behind the line to bring a conversation going. Her voice was chipper despite the avid heat, and she merely rubbed the two halo-shaped bracelets that dangled off her wrists as she spoke, "Sheena, can you tell us how you sealed the Exspheres away? I didn't understand what you meant when you said you used the Summon Spirits in Mizuho."

Sheena let out a laugh of fond exasperation at Colette's warm gesture, and she skipped over the last step that led them towards the warp-portal to the seal. She waited until the others had all done the same before explaining, "I asked Celsius and Efreet to combine their mana to create a seal, and then closed off the area where the Exspheres were hidden."

"Wait, combined the mana? Like, making a link?" Genis questioned with a raised eyebrow, and then he whistled low in appreciation for Sheena's ingenuity. "You basically created a mana link like the ones we severed, except this one stands on its own and just protects the cache of Exspheres. Nice, Sheena!"

"It wasn't a big deal." Sheena laughed off the praise with a wave of her hand, but her face coloured pink anyway. "C'mon, let's get moving..."

The foursome moved to the warp-portal, and within an instant it transported them into the seal room. The large chamber looked almost the same to how it had beforehand, but Sheena looked around with a slight furrow to her eyebrows. She moved straight to the dias where Efreet had appeared two years ago to do battle with them, and she tilted her head to the side before letting out a relieved sigh.

Colette peered over her shoulder to examine the stone wall that made up the back of the chamber and frowned in confusion. Sheena's examination proved mystifying to her, and she asked hesitantly, "Did you find something good, Sheena...?"

"I assume that the seal was not breached." Regal replied when Sheena rapped a knuckle experimentally against the wall. A plume of fire burst from where she touched the stone, followed by a freezing gust of wind that blew over the entire quad. They all shuddered at the sudden drop in temperature, and the president shook his head and laughed as he confirmed, "Yes, the seal was definitely not breached."

"So, that's one piece of good news." Genis commented with a wan smile, but he noticed that the summoner didn't seem as convinced. She was still eying the wall speculatively, and he knew at once where her thoughts were going. The wall hadn't been breached yet, and it was the 'yet' that bothered her. All of the caches hadn't been checked, and it would be risky if one of the seals had already been broken.

A long beat of silence passed between them as they studied the invisible barrier that protected the Exspheres from both their hands and hands of intruders. Colette sidled close to Sheena's side and grasped her wrist as she asked softly, "What are we going to do now?"

"Well, there are several options we have from here, now that we've confirmed the seal is still intact." Regal mused with a thoughtful frown, and he absently stroked his chin as he went over the courses of action he'd already considered. "We could break the seal ourselves and take the Exspheres to Yuan, or place members of the Renegades or ninja of Mizuho around the seals to act as extra security."

"I think we should ask the Renegades to place extra security around the seals." Colette suggested softly, and she gently tugged on Sheena's arm as she continued, "You need the rest, Sheena. You can't break the seals yet."

"Plus, if we have guards around the seals instead of just emptying the cache directly we can lure out the people trying to steal them, right?" Genis added on with a nod, and he drew back impulsively when Sheena sent a glare in his direction. Not only had her body taken a beating but her pride had as well, and his poking at her wounds wasn't going to be taken lightly. He mused though with an impish smile that Colette managed to be able to do so without invoking anything more than annoyance in the summoner. "It might be easier to set up an ambush."

"Setting up an ambush is a good idea, but first we should complete our mission in Triet and then bring up the plan to the others when we regroup." Regal advised, and then he turned to Sheena who was wearing an annoyed scowl. He felt for her but he, like the others, didn't want her over-exerting herself for no reason. The Exspheres were safe for the moment, and even she couldn't argue with that.

Sheena finally sighed in defeat and raised her hands as she muttered grudgingly, "Fine, fine. We go visit the fortune-teller, head to Sybak and _then_ we come up with a plan. Happy?"

Colette giggled and hugged Sheena's arm happily at her agreement. Genis smirked and even Regal allowed himself to smile as the words eased the tense mood. The foursome turned their backs on the seal with their minds made up and began the trek out of the Seal of fire to return to the small desert oasis that awaited their next destination.

Thankfully the rest of the travel was uneventful, and only took an hour before they had returned to the desert city. It had been an unanimous decision that Sheena go to the fortune-teller herself to ask the questions needed, and with a grumble and a pocketful of Gald she'd accepted the request and headed north through the town.

She was embarrassed to admit that she actually had already dealt with the fortune-teller. The trek across the world in search of Exspheres had led them through Triet many times before, and her curiosity had been piqued when Lloyd had mentioned the fortune-teller giving out what he called 'friendship fortunes' during the Journey of Regeneration. One day when they had stopped to resupply she had snuck away to the northern end of the city and had her own fortune told. What had been said to her she'd happily take to the grave, but she'd never forgotten the knowing look and sly smile the redheaded woman had given her that day.

As she pushed open the flap of the tent that served as the door to the fortune-teller's home, Sheena grimaced at the scent of herbs and dust that permeated the place. When she spotted the redheaded woman behind her desk and staring deep into the glass ball that served as her medium, she couldn't suppress a smile. Not a lot of people bought into the idea of psychics even with magic being a fixture in society, but Sheena had always had a strange fondness for them.

The woman didn't look up from her ball, and so Sheena called out to her with a little smile curling her lips. While the two women weren't exactly friends the redhead had told the summoner her name with a laughing smile the last time they had met. Sheena called for her now with a laugh of her own to startle the woman out of her daze, "Hey, Circe. Long time no see."

Circe looked up sharply from her ball and her brown eyes widened in alarm at the sight of Sheena in her tent. As soon as the alarm faded a bright grin pulled over her lips, and she leaned on her table and greeted her with great humour, "Ah, back again are we? Let me guess, you wanna thank me about that hunk of a swordsman that you were questioning me about last time you were here? You know I'll charge you extra if you want a divining done about your future children!"

The fond teasing would have made Sheena blush and stammer if it had been done other more pleasant circumstances, but even still she smiled sheepishly. She folded her arms awkwardly over her stomach and explained rather sheepishly, "Actually, that's not why I'm here..."

The laughter faded at once from Circe's face, and she straightened up. Her fingers drummed habitually on the tabletop and she tilted her head somewhat to the side as she looked Sheena up and down. A frown grew on her lips as a bad feeling settled in the pits of her stomach, and she stated firmly, "Something bad happened. I knew that you'd be coming back, but I never could see why."

Sheena shook her head sadly and stepped forward to the table where Circe enjoyed divining her fortunes. She explained tiredly, "I... I need some help finding... the swordsman we talked about last time." A hint of pink dusted her face and she rubbed her arm sheepishly as she added on, "I'm worried about him and... I think you'll be able to help me."

"Find him for you, hmm? Well..." Circe pursed her lips and rubbed at the back of her neck before she finally admitted sheepishly, "I've never been all that good at tracking people down, but... I can try. There may be something in your future that involves meeting up with him, and that could help me make a judgement call on a location." She noted Sheena reached for her satchel, and a grim smile lifted her lips as she waved her hand dismissively, "Oi, no need to reach for the Gald. This isn't my speciality, you know."

Sheena laughed but even at the words she snatched a handful of coins and set them down on the table. A hundred Gald sat clean on the blue tablecloth and Sheena leaned back as she watched Circe close her eyes and raise her hands over her crystal ball. The ninja never could tell if Circe had an honest talent or was just acting but she had little choice but to put some faith in the woman. There was just nothing that she could do.

A ripple of wind passed through the closed tent, and Sheena turned her head impulsively to the door to see what had happened. Behind her Circe let out a hiss and the ninja whirled around to see the redhead drawing back from the table with a look of shock on her face. She moved so suddenly that she lost her footing and went sprawling to the ground, cursing as she went.

"Circe?"

Circe's eyes were glazed and she didn't react to the startled call of her name. Sheena knelt down and touched her shoulder, and the fortune-teller jerked like she'd been shocked. She grabbed the ninja's arm and held on tight as she looked up and met her frightened stare. Her voice was a pained whisper as she spoke to her, "You have to go to Flanoir! I saw you there. Something in Flanoir is calling for you. You have to go there!"

"F-Flanoir?" Sheena repeated in shock, and she slowly knelt down to press her hands to Circe's quivering shoulders. "Circe? Hey, are you alright?"

Circe continued to tremble but she gratefully took the help to stand. She swayed a little but managed to keep her balance. She loosened her death-grip on Sheena's wrist but still held on as she said quietly, "I'm... I'm f-fine. It's just... What I saw... it was so vivid, it kind of scared me." She shook her head rapidly from side to side and insisted, "You have to go to Flanoir, Sheena. There's something there. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, but are you sure that you're okay?" Sheena asked again, but Circe only nodded her head vigorously to ward off her concern. With a sigh she let her hands drop from Circe's dead grip and crossed her arms over her stomach. She was still a little startled by the fortune teller's sudden collapse, but she knew that the woman wouldn't let her remain there and worry. She had business waiting for her, and wasn't going to let Sheena keep her customers waiting. "Alright, alright... I'll get going..."

Circe sighed quietly and leaned on the table as she pressed a hand to her forehead. A sheen of sweat covered her skin and she breathed in raggedly to calm her racing heartbeat. She noticed Sheena meaning to slip out quietly while she recovered, and she called out to stop her, "W-Wait! Hey, wait, don't leave!"

"I thought you wanted–"

"No, but I just wanted to tell you something. Do you...?" Circe faltered and then rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. She let out a nervous laugh and then pressed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. She shook her head and then said weakly, "Just... don't go anywhere dark or under the ground, will you? I'm getting some bad vibes."

"Circe, are you sure you're okay?" Sheena asked with a frown, and she looked as if she was going to speak out again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Get moving. Flanoir, remember?" Circe waved off the worried stare from the summoner, and she ushered her hastily towards the exit. When Sheena paused at the door Circe let out a laugh and patted her gently on the back. "Look, stop worrying and get moving!"

"Fine, fine..."

Circe watched as Sheena walked from her tent, and the flap of the tent closed slowly. The redheaded fortune teller crossed her arms over her stomach and could only stare at the patterned design that covered her tent with a strange wash of unease. The feeling twisted around her heart and she muttered under her breath, "Those names... What the hell? Tasogare and...?"

* * *

**Lake Umacy**

**Late Night**

Virginia stared silently at the blue centre of the fire that was burning away merrily at the edge of the lake. The pristine waters threw off a warm reflection that bathed the elf in an orange glow, but the beauty was lost on her. In the pot that the fire was warming bubbled a plain broth that was to be her supper, but she found no interest in it either. A handful of different satays rested by her knee for seasoning, and she mused that only she would find use for them.

In the handful of days that she had been with Tasogare she had taken notice of the angel's strange habits. She cooked vigilantly for Virginia but no matter what she made she never ate with her. Nor did she ever sleep, at least not that Virginia could see. Even without rest or food the angel seemed to have energy to do her day-to-day work and training without complaint. What made the elf the most puzzled was the sword that the angel had sheathed at her waist. Not once, even when she was hunting did she take the blade from its scarred and ancient scabbard. The blood-red ruby that decorated the pummel would glow whenever she began to move, but never did the angel even rest her hand on the hilt to draw it.

Virginia stood with a quiet sigh and removed the lid on the pot that had begun to hiss. She dipped in the serving spoon that was resting on the spit above and scooped out a small mouthful. After waiting for it to cool she took a cautious sip and then made a quiet noise. She reached down for the vial of red satay and poured a careful amount in before stirring. She waited a moment before adding a second splash of the spice and then took a seat in the fresh grass once more.

'The broth should be ready in a few minutes...' Virginia mused before she looked up into the dark night sky. The stars shone above her with a bright twinkle, and out of habit she began to sort out the constellations. She murmured to herself as she identified each pattern and she traced their intersecting lines with her finger. "The Kharlan arrow... The Hero's Belt... Spiritua's Halo..."

The constellations that she remembered from Tethe'alla all appeared in the night sky, and she was comforted greatly by it. She stared pleasantly at it, and actually smiled at the nostalgic sight. While she knew that she should be utterly terrified of the position she was in... she felt a strange calm. She knew that she would be safe, though she had no evidence to back up the feeling.

A loud thud behind her made her spin in shock, and she looked up to see Tasogare standing beside a sizeable pile of freshly chopped firewood. The angel cocked an eyebrow at her look of surprise, and then the expression vanished as she stated placidly, "My apologies. After so long of being chased of course loud noises would frighten you. I will remember to not to do so in the future."

Virginia raised her eyebrows this time at the rather respectful words, and she folded her arms over her waist as she retorted, "Why would you care for the feelings of your hostage?"

"It wouldn't do for my hostage to die of cardiac arrest due to my foolishness, now would it?"

Virginia sighed wearily before she turned back to the broth that was cooking. She lifted the lid and took a small sip of it again, and then let out a satisfied sigh. She reached to take the pot from the spit but was stopped by Tasogare's firm hand on her shoulder. She looked over in alarm and the angel nudged her aside. She took the pot herself and set it down on the grass, and then handed the elf the bowl that was resting by the stones that kept the fire contained.

Tasogare carefully placed another log in the fire and watched it greedily begin to attack the new source of fuel. She heard Virginia scooping out a portion of her broth into the bowl, and then the elf paused in her work. She heard a polite cough and turned to see the expectant elf holding a second bowl that she had materialized out of nowhere. "Yes?"

Virginia smiled wryly as she thrust the bowl before her in offering. She already knew what answer she would be getting but manners demanded she speak regardless. "Would you like to eat? There's no poisonous plants that I could have slipped into the meal, and even if I did you watched me cook it from afar, I'm sure. So, do you want some?"

"No, thank you." Tasogare answered robotically, and she shifted to sit on top of the neat pile of firewood she had just carried to the campsite. Virginia didn't ask her again and instead turned back to the lake's side and continued looking up at the constellations. The elf's stoic behaviour both surprised and amused the angel, and she watched her with a detached interest. She struggled in silent but loud ways to her firm control, and the angel appreciated her effort even if it was a mild annoyance.

Virginia chuckled and placed the bowl back on the ground and began to attend to her own supper that was awaiting her. She ate slowly and savoured every mild bite that she took but her eyes never left Tasogare. She could feel that Tasogare was doing the same and had every intention to continue watching her for the rest of the night. A small chuckle left her lips as she placed her spoon back in the bowl, and she found herself muttering tiredly, "It's impressive how you manage to function so long without any rest or nutrition, but that must be because you used your Exsphere, or Cruxis Crystal, to evolve. That means one day a long time ago... you were like my children. A half-elf."

"Yes." Tasogare answered without a hint of irony, but a strange smile lifted her lips as she sat back on her perch. She settled her hands on her knees and watched Virginia with intrigue as she added on, "I'm sure then you know what that makes me, Sage?"

"A Desian." Virginia returned her answer crisply. The Desians were the bane of lives like hers, and the apprehension that ran through her was swift and instinctual. Even in Exire the rumours of the Desian's cruelty reached her ears, and it sickened her to the core. She was extremely glad she never had to face them herself in her flight from the Imperial Research Academy, but now... She swallowed back her fear hard and forced a stoic expression to remain on her face.

"Unfortunately, that guess is as wrong as it is correct." Tasogare told her with a low chuckle, and she rested her cheek against her index and middle finger. Her honey-coloured eyes were sharp and she explained in a voice that matched her eyes, "I am a no more a Desian as I am an angel, and sadly that's the entire truth of my life."

Virginia narrowed her eyes at the half-answer, but she knew better than to press the angel with questions. The warning she had received about her curiosity still rang true in her ears, and she didn't dare overstep it. As a hostage she had some pull over her own safety, and she had no desire to end the angel's patience with her. Instead she turned her eyes back to the half-full bowl in her hands and let out a tired sigh. "You do understand it feels ridiculously rude of me to eat while you stand there watching, yes?"

Tasogare actually cracked a true smile at those belligerent words, and she found herself filing the attitude she was receiving away in the back of her mind. It was becoming rather clear who the Sage siblings took after, and despite herself she began wondering about the Kloitz man who was the father. Virginia had already demonstrated her impressive skill in the healing arts but had never shown an ounce of capability in offensive magic. She could only assume that the human Kloitz had some elven blood deep in his ancestry that prompted Genis' masterful wielding of magic. Then again, it was always strange how elven blood mixed with that of a human's, and that mana could easily have given way to the boy's immense power and the girl's gentle whisper of healing arts.

The elven woman raised an eyebrow at the smile that Tasogare was sporting and she let out a tired but amused breath. The angel was fearsomely bipolar in her moods, and though the elf was older than she'd like to admit she sometimes felt downright callow in the face of the strange woman. She could read nothing beyond the steel mask that the angel had fixed over her face and her smiles were like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

As she turned her attention back to her meal she couldn't help but muse aloud, "You truly are an enigma, Miss Tasogare. Sometimes I wonder if it's your allies that should fear you more than your enemies." Virginia had meant the statement in complete ironic jest, and so she was rather startled to see an even broader smile spread across the angel's face.

"I think you will find that my allies and my enemies tend to be one and the same, Sage." Tasogare replied with a low chuckle, and she nodded towards the bowl that Virginia was almost ignoring now in favour of gaping outright at her. Amusement coloured her normally cold voice as she spoke, "You are ignoring your meal. It certainly won't do for my hostage to die of starvation as it wouldn't for you to die of fright either. Eat."

Virginia was unsure of what to say to such a thing that resembled a jest, and instead she began to eat again. She was surprised by the lack of fright that was instilled in her, and she wondered if it was an unconscious effort on the angel's part of simply her own imagining. While Tasogare still spoke quite formally there was a soft sort of edge to her words that made Virginia feel more at ease. The threat loomed over her head and still roared deep in her chest but for reasons she didn't understand she wasn't as frightened as she had been before.

Her spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl, and the elf felt her stomach rumble in protest. With a tiny roll of her eyes she returned to the simmering pot and scooped herself a second portion. The broth filled the bowl and she sighed as she sat herself back down in the grass. She tucked in without another word, and let her thoughts wander.

A quiet oath from her captor jerked her out of the beginnings of the daze she had been ready to enter. She looked up at once in alarm and saw Tasogare leaping to her feet and turning back into forest. She could tell by her hunched posture that the angel was in pain, and she was on her feet before she could think better of it. The instinctual need to care and nurture had her moving towards the angel, and her outstretched hand brushed the angel's shoulder in a worried touch.

Tasogare spun the second she felt the elven touch on her skin, and her honeyed eyes were wild with pain. She moved so fast that Virginia couldn't pull away quickly enough. The angel's hand closed around Virginia's wrist and jerked her away as she snarled., "Do _not_ touch me, elf!"

Whatever inkling of ease she had felt disappeared, and Virginia cursed herself for being so foolhardy. Part of her logical mind warned her that she was most likely suffering from a mild case of what Tethe'allan people called hostage remorse, but when she saw the blood dripping from the corner of the angel's mouth her thoughts scattered. The healer in her demanded that she work her arts to soothe the pain, but the fearsome anger in Tasogare's face stopped her cold.

That was the angel that she had seen in Luin. It was the cruel face of the angel who had brought humans to their knees without batting an eye over the pain they suffered. She knew to fear this woman on nothing more than sheer instinct.

Still, something crossed Tasogare's face that made her strangely vulnerable as the strength in her legs gave out and sent her to her knees. She coughed and the noise echoed through her chest, and she turned her face away to spit out a mouthful of blood. Virginia dropped down to kneel beside her, and her voice cracked uncertainly as she asked, "What... What is wrong with you...?"

* * *

**The Asgard Ranch**

**Late Afternoon**

The ambush was carefully planned, and as Pietro had told them the ragtag band of Desian supporters had indeed moved into the abandoned ranch. In the shadows of the surrounding forest Raine, Zelos and Presea were watching the group of men that were gathered around a large roaring campfire. Raine's eyes were narrowed and her hands were clenched tight around the handle of her staff as she fought the urge to confront the men who had caused her mother to flee Luin.

She could feel Zelos' restraining hand on her arm, and a small smile quirked her lips at his attitude. She had seen his bloodlust when he'd spoken of entering a battle, and she wondered if he was just hoping to take out some of his anger on whoever was foolish enough to cross his path. She turned her head to glance over at Presea, and she nodded firmly for the axeman to start the first phase of the plan.

Presea was completely silent as she hefted her Gaia Cleaver from her shoulder with a single hand. She took in a deep breath and then held tight to the handle before making a single practise swing for the thick trunk of a nearby tree. She looked over at Raine for a second confirmation, and received a crisp nod. With an inhale she stiffened her limbs and then slammed the blade of her axe deep into the rough bark.

The sound of metal hitting the wood was like a thunderclap, and the men around the circle leapt like they'd been stung. Zelos quickly held his hand out and willed his mana to swirl into his hand. The sparks of mana crackled and turned into a fireball, and he thrust his hand out to send the spell into the already burning embers.

The sudden intrusion of mana-induced fire caused the campfire to explode upwards and out. The force of the explosion knocked the men from their seats and in the confusion Raine, Zelos and Presea leapt into the fray. Their weapons hissed ferociously inches from the faces of the startled men, and Raine twirled her staff in her hand and pointed the sharpened edge of the rod at his jugular. Her voice was quiet and deadly as she spoke, "Good afternoon, gentlemen."

"Y-You...?" The man Raine was facing gasped in alarm, and instinctively he pulled his injured arm against his chest. He still remembered well the vicious warning the strange angel had given him for attacking the elf in Luin a few weeks ago, and now he was facing that same creature. His eyes widened in terror as she drew away and he gasped, "W-Wait, don't! I listened to your friend and ran from Luin! Don't kill me, please!"

"My friend?" Raine repeated with a raised eyebrow, and then looked to Zelos and Presea with a wicked smile lifting her lips. She understood at once that the man mistook her for her mother, and the realization made her hands tremble with the desire to plunge the end of her rod into the man's throat. She fought the bloodlust and used her logic to cool her anger and annoyance. Her eyes gleamed evilly and she informed him darkly, "I'm afraid you're mistaking me for someone else. Someone very dear to me. I have some questions for you, and I advise you to answer them all truthfully."

Zelos chuckled at Raine's ruthless voice, but he could tell that Presea was bothered by it. He looked down at the men lying around them and he noticed that all eyes were focussed on the half-elven professor in terror. He couldn't help but wonder what had been done by Virginia's mysterious 'friend'. "You best listen to that beautiful woman in front of you, boys. The government of Meltokio are looking for the last of the Desian supporters, and from your behaviour in Luin you certainly fall under that category."

"W-We didn't–"

"Silence." Raine commanded, and at once the stammering and protesting stopped. She felt a strange glimmer of satisfaction at her authority being respected, and she almost laughed. 'I still got it...' She pulled the sharpened edge of her rod away to give the man room to breathe and she began in the same crisp tone, "I only want answers from you. The elf that you attacked in Luin... where is she now?"

"Some weird woman came to her defence and we took off." The man replied with a rapid shake of his head, and he gestured to his bandaged forearm as he added on, "Look what she did to my arm! We sure as hell weren't going to stick around. She told us to get lost so we did. I have no idea where they went after that."

"So you have no idea where she went?" Presea questioned with a cocked eyebrow, and she carefully adjusted the blade of her cleaver to rest almost tenderly on the throat of the man she was standing by. She could sense the lie in their words and she had no desire to be fooled by the likes of them. She could understand Raine's disgust and she repeated herself firmly, "Are you absolutely sure of that?"

The trio of men turned to exchange a quick glance with one another, and then to the man with the broken arm. He looked back up at Raine's cool eyes and swallowed hard before he explained hoarsely, "W-We were gonna wait till the woman left the elf alone but... she didn't go away. They talked for a little while and then they left Luin together. We didn't see where they headed off, honest!"

Raine traded a glance with Presea, and she nodded in understanding before taking the professor's place to confront the leader. Her voice was placid and firm when she continued to order, "Describe the woman who chased you off. Don't leave out a single detail."

The man that Zelos was watching over spoke up instead of the leader, and his reedy voice grated on Presea's ears as he explained hastily, "She spoke like an old woman, but she looked young, real young. She had long brown hair, and it was striped with green all the way down the back... Um, she had these weird eyes, they were... er... honey-brown, you know what I mean? She was wearing a big black cloak and had a hell of a scary-looking sword on her too."

Zelos looked to Presea, and from the look of shock on her face he knew that the description had been bang on for the angel who had saved Genis' life. He then looked to Raine who was wearing a fearsome scowl at the confirmation of this, and then he drew his blade back from the throat of the man he'd downed. "So, the woman responsible for saving the brat also saved your mother? This just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

"I hope for your sakes that you aren't lying to us." Raine informed them with a scowl, and then withdrew her weapon from their throats. The man she had been standing over sighed in relief, but quickly the noise turned into a groan of pain when Raine twirled the Crystal Rod in her head and delivered a vicious blow to the side of his head. The man slumped to the ground almost immediately, and the sounds of Presea and Zelos delivering similar blows followed quickly after.

Presea moved away from the unconscious form at her feet and shook her head in disbelief as she fixed her axe back to its home on her back. She murmured to herself in complete shock, "What in the world is that angel doing...? What interest could she have in Virginia?"

"That alone is simple enough to ascertain." Raine answered with a grim expression, and she gripped her rod tightly in both hands as she muttered, "She has to know that Mother could be used as the perfect tool to control Genis and I. Using her she could either call us off the hunt, or use her as bait to draw us out. It's a clever move, but I'm confused as to why she'd go to such lengths to do this... She _is_ a member of Cruxis, isn't she?"

"She only said she was working for someone, not who or what that faction was." Presea answered with a second shake of her head.

"It's clear though from her actions that she's not exactly a perfect soldier." Zelos noted, but he cast a look around at the unconscious men that surrounded them, and chuckled ruefully. "This isn't exactly the proper place to be taking theory. Let's head back to Luin and go over the details there at the inn. Then we can share our ideas with the rest of the group. How does that sound?"

"Better than anything I can think of..." Raine replied tiredly, and she cast a sickened look at the men around her before turning her back on them. Luin glinted in the distance as nothing more than a speck of light, and she sighed before she began the trek back. She had much to think of and she wanted the time to go over it all so that her heart would settle by the time she reached a conclusion. Only one thing was certain in her feverish thoughts as she left the abandoned facility, and that was; 'Whoever you are, angel... I will never forgive you if you place a hand on my mother.'

**AN**

**Ze plot thickens! XD (ducks flying projectiles) Now, before I go any further... I know the fortune-teller in Triet had black hair, but I thought she was a redhead the first time I saw her. XD It was too late to go back and change it by the time I wrote it, because I'd named her Circe and that name just begs for a redhead. (I blame Acheron and that damned bitchtress Artemis. Ah, Sherrilyn, how I love you.)**

**I think I've found my new favourite thing about Tales of Symphonia... The Katz Village and watching Z-Skits. Dear Martel, I sat there for maybe a full two hours just going through every single skit and laughing my ass off at them... Of course, doing that made me think of that HILARIOUS work of art called Tales of Skits that does a marvellous job at writing in skits for ToS. Check it out if you ever get the chance, because it's the funniest thing to ever hit FFN. Honest. XD While we're on that subject... What skits do you like the best?**

**PS: Any ideas about what I have planned next? Wanna take a guess what's gonna happen in the next chapter? C'mon, shoot it at me! I want to know your predictions! 8D**

**~ Sky**


	12. Courses of Action

**Sybak**

**Imperial Research Academy**

**Late Afternoon**

"So, let's sum up the information we've gathered..." Zelos leaned back in the chair and propped his feet up on the table before him as he relaxed happily in the cafeteria where he and his friends were gathered. Sheena whacked his feet down, and he stuck his tongue out at her before settling them below his chair. He continued on before she could hit him over the head for the immature move, but he ducked away from her anyway while he talked to her, "The barrier you erected in the Seal of Fire was intact, so nothing happened there that you could see without breaking it down yourself. Then the fortune-teller in Triet was a bust too, which means in short... You came up empty."

"Yeah, unfortunately." Sheena replied with a roll of her eyes, and she reached out to clip him above the ear when he relaxed back in his seat. She idly poked at the pieces of pineapple on her plate of fruit salad, but she couldn't find it in herself to start eating. Her stomach was twisted in unpleasant knots as she went over the words that Circe had spoken to her during her trip to the tent, and she couldn't explain why she had decided to keep it a secret from the others. Something about the visit had unnerved her, and so she held her tongue until she could understand it fully.

"As for us..." Zelos snatched a piece of apple from Sheena's untouched plate and popped it into his mouth before looking pointedly at Raine to continue. She said nothing and he heaved a long and dramatic sigh before he continued on, "We found a little tidbit that I think might be worth pursuing." He turned his eyes to Genis and finished with a hint of a smirk, "The angel that saved you in Ozette turned up in Luin, brat."

"You mean the one called Tasogare?" Genis asked with a raised eyebrow, and then he looked at Presea who nodded but refused to meet his gaze. He then spotted Raine doing the same and he frowned as he caught onto their hidden words. "Why was she in Luin?"

"Mother was there." Raine explained quietly, and a collective silence went around the table. Genis leapt from his chair abruptly, and he hissed in anger as his hand went to his belt. He needed no more to understand what his sister was trying to tell him, but she continued on and only confirmed his suspicions. "She was attacked by a gang of thugs masquerading as Desian supporters in Luin, and was apparently saved by the angel named Tasogare. The two left Luin together."

Genis bristled instinctively but he fought down the irrational surge of anger that threatened to overwhelm him. He knew well that if there had been something his sister could have done that she would have done it, but it didn't stop the frustrated feeling in his chest. He couldn't sit though and settled for tapping his foot instead. He asked through gritted teeth, "And there's no idea where they headed after that?"

"None that we could find, no." Raine replied with a shake of her head, and she avoided looking her brother in the eye. She could feel his anger and she shared it, though she knew he blamed her for losing track of their mother. The irrationality of the feeling didn't make it any less hurtful, but she kept a straight face and continued firmly, "However, now we have an idea that this angel isn't what she appears to be. Despite her status as a soldier as Sheena viewed, she has been going out of her way to do things she calls 'compliance' with her master's orders. While it may not be 'aiding' us, it most certainly is giving us a view of where her allegiances may lie. We may be able to take advantage of this if there is indeed infighting in this group calling themselves Desians."

"So, where does this leave us now?" Presea asked softly, and she glanced over her shoulder worriedly to watch Genis continue to pace behind her. It was obvious that she wanted to usher him back to his seat but she instead looked down at her own hands with a worried frown.

"We have a handful of paths before us." Regal answered with a worried glance down at his wife's clenched hands. He reached out underneath the table to rest his larger hand on top of hers, and then he continued on, "Our concerns at the moment are three... To find and secure Lloyd, to check the hiding areas of the Exspheres all across the world, and to find and rescue Virginia."

"Easier said than done." Zelos remarked, and he shook his head in rueful amusement. He reached over to steal yet another piece of fruit from Sheena's plate, and then he glanced sidelong at the silent Colette. She looked to be as uneasy as Raine but was saying nothing as the others continued. Zelos scratched absently at the back of his neck as he said, "We can check the hiding places easily with the Rheairds and with Sheena, but finding Lloyd and Virginia won't be easy when we've got no real leads to follow."

"More than likely, if they intend to use Mother as a hostage, Tasogare will come to us." Raine answered with a shake of her head, but there was nothing in her eyes when she spoke. "However, we're not entirely sure what the angel's motives are in kidnapping her, so we can't make too many assumptions. As for Lloyd... there is a theory I have about his whereabouts, though it may not be what you want to hear."

"The Exspheres that went missing from the Palmacosta Academy." All eyes flew to Genis, and he looked down at his clenched hands as he explained through gritted teeth, "On the night Neil was murdered there were Exspheres stolen from the academy. If... If Lloyd was there... then the Exspheres that were stolen must have been stolen by him."

"Why would he need Exspheres? Wouldn't it be more plausible for someone to disguise themselves as him and then commit the crimes?" Sheena rebutted firmly, and her eyes snapped tawny fire as the anger began to grow again. She hated hearing the condemning words of her friends, and she was determined to banish them.

"Putting aside the matter of Lloyd's guilt or innocence..." Regal said firmly, and he glanced from Raine to Sheena with a pointed stare. The argument in Meltokio still hung hard over them all, and he wished that something could be done to regain the balance of their team. However he knew that only finding the man responsible for bringing them all together would settle the chaos, and that made him all the more determined to do so. "It seems we have a course of action before us, then. We need to check all of the seals where the Exspheres are hidden, and contact the Renegades to get into position to empty the caches."

Colette's gaze slid to Sheena, and for the first time since assembling with her comrades she spoke up. Her voice was quiet and hesitant as she asked softly, "Sheena... Are you going to be alright performing so many summons in such a short time? I mean, from the way you were talking all the seals must be holding a good amount of Exspheres, so... But are you up for it?"

"I don't think we have the luxury of waiting for me to get over it." Sheena replied with a cocked eyebrow, but Colette's lips thinned and she laughed softly in exasperation. She tapped her chest twice and explained gently to the angel sitting beside her, "Colette, I'm going to be okay. My body is adjusting now to the healing, and give me one more week and I'll be just like I used to be. My mana is restoring itself and all my wounds are tended to. You don't need to worry."

"Only... Only if you're sure." Colette answered her claim with a soft sigh, but there was no look of resignation to her. She poked her friend firmly in the arm and spoke in a pure no-nonsense tone that she must have adopted from her professor, "If it starts to hurt or you feel tired, you have to say so right away! You won't get better if you keep pushing yourself, alright?"

"You ought to practise what you preach, my little angel." Zelos noted with a raised eyebrow and a sardonic grin. She flushed slightly in embarrassment at his words, but she didn't lower her stern stare from Sheena's face. Zelos chuckled and shook his head with great indulgence, and he then leaned behind Sheena to affectionately ruffle Colette's long hair. "You're really too sweet for your own good."

"So, it looks like our plans are set then..." Raine steepled her fingers under her chin and took in a deep breath to soothe her aching nerves. "I think first... We should spend the night here in Sybak and choose our first destination in the morning. Everyone seems tired from the journey, and we could use the rest. Agreed?"

A chorus of agreements followed her question, and she watched with great exhaustion as her comrades left the table. Colette took Sheena by the hand and the two walked like sisters from the cafeteria with Zelos following close behind them, pouting and grumbling the entire way. Presea had glanced at Genis and then silently got to her feet and left alone. Regal cast a glance at Raine but said nothing, and he too left the cafeteria, silently following after Presea.

Genis slowly ran a hand over his face, and then he looked over to see his sister slowly pushing herself to her feet. He saw what she had been cleverly hiding, and he moved on instinct to her side. He touched her sleeve worriedly and she glanced at him with a sad smile as a single tear fell down her pale cheek. "Sis..."

"I'm sorry, Genis." Raine murmured quietly, and she gently set her hand on top of his head as they walked side by side through the halls of the institute. She brushed her tears from her eyes as she sniffled delicately and murmured through a tight throat, "I wish... that there'd been more I could do... for Mother... for you... for everyone. I didn't want to come back here knowing that I'd upset you with the news I had."

"It's not your fault, sis." Genis tugged on her sleeve and frowned up at her in clear disapproval of her words. She continued to smile painfully down at him, and with a scowl he pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her waist in a tight hug. Her arms returned the embrace, and sister and brother held on tight to each other for a long while. "We'll find her. It'll be weird when we meet up again... but I think it'll be different than last time in Exire. We're different now. Stronger. And we have each other. It's going to be alright."

"I wonder at how you became so optimistic, Genis." Raine asked with a raised eyebrow, but her lips were quirked up in a small smile. She knelt down before her brother and settled her hands gently on his shoulders before murmuring softly, "You've grown up. How much taller have you gotten?"

"A quarter of an inch." Genis answered her promptly and proudly, and he drew himself up to his full height. He continued on as he puffed out his chest and dropped his voice down an octave, "Plus my voice has gotten deeper too."

"I see that." Raine raised both of her eyebrows this time and fought to smother a laugh at her younger brother's desperation to grow tall. She gently smoothed out his shirt and made a quiet fuss over the nonexistent wrinkles in his clothing. She fingered the catch to his shirt and a lump grew in her throat as she caught sight of the jagged scar that filled his small chest. 'I'm really such a failure...'

Genis watched a dark shadow pass through his sister's eyes, and he noted the way she stared at the scarring that was likely never to fade from his chest. He had heard from Presea how she had faltered to heal him when he'd collapsed in Meltokio, but she hadn't elaborated on what stopped his sister. His mind had been spinning with theories ever since Regal had taken up the gauntlet of healing the party, and he found himself asking her now, "Raine... Something happened to you in Altamira, didn't it?"

Raine smiled ruefully, and she berated herself for keeping her secret from him for so long. Though she could make as many excuses as she wanted she knew that she never would have been able to hide her failings forever. She looked around the deserted hallway and then gestured for him to take a seat by the window with her. He followed suit and looked up at her expectantly, and bathed in the moonlight shining in through the glass she explained, "I was forced to jump from my room in the mansion into the water when they set it on fire. The shock from the fall... or perhaps the fall itself... caused me to lose my memory temporarily. It most likely was a defensive measure due to my... extreme fear of the water. I regained my memory once my mind recovered, but... I found myself unable to use my healing arts."

Genis' eyes flashed in horror, and he looked to her folded hands as if trying to digest what she had said. Her confession made sense to him as much as it confused him, and he searched through his mind in hopes of finding something to help her. "Did you go through Boltzman's book again? Relearn what you'd forgotten?"

"I tried." Raine confirmed with a sad chuckle, and she leaned her head back and stared up hopelessly at the ceiling above her. She had tried time and time again to go through the ancient manuscript that had given her the ability to use so many of her arts. The problem however wasn't just rereading the words and going through the motions, and she explained to her little brother weakly, "I remember what I read... how to do it... but I can't. I can't force the mana to work the way it used to. I just can't seem to reach the skills I know."

Genis grit his teeth together in frustration, and he clenched his hands into tight fists. He could barely believe that so much had struck his older sister in such a short amount of time. A bitterness welled up in him and he bunched up his hair in his fists as he tried to wrack his mind. He had only given a passing glance to the book Raine had used to teach herself and he wished now he had done it with a more open mind. "Dammit... This isn't right...! There has to be a way to recover your connection to the mana. We could go to Heimdall and ask the elder. He might have answers."

Raine couldn't help but grimace at the name of the elven village that had been her home so many years ago. She truly didn't want to go back there, but she knew better than to write off a hope. Her position in the party was that of a healer, and if she lost her abilities there would be no place for her there. The name of the village however triggered an alarm bell that she had been ignoring, and she looked to Genis as she remarked, "You went to Heimdall yourself before this mess began, didn't you? Did you speak with the elder?"

Genis snapped his fingers as her words reminded him of how he'd been attacked in Ozette in the first place. He nodded firmly but a sardonic smile curled his lips as he explained, "I did check with the elder about the changes in mana levels. We came up with a few plausible theories. In every one it comes back to the Giant Tree and its ability to settle the mana by exuding and taking in time with the world's balance. The elder said that areas where powerful monsters breed can sometimes affect the mana levels, and Presea reasoned that the same could happen on a global scale if something or someone got their hands on a large amount of mana."

"Those theories do fit with what has been happening." Raine agreed with a frown, and she self-consciously rubbed at her arms as she took in the charged atmosphere around her. The levels had been high in the past few days and the feeling of anxiety was bubbling away deep under her skin. "I can't think of anything beyond the Summon Spirits that could possess that much power in such a sudden amount of time... It's frightening to imagine, but there's little else for us to consider."

"Do you think that everything that's happened lately... is because of whatever is changing the mana levels?"

"I don't know Genis... part of me hopes that it isn't... A very big part." Raine added on almost as if it was an afterthought, and she smiled ruefully when Genis cocked a brow at her. She leaned to the side and nudged his head with her own and admonished him gently, "Now really, you can't believe that even your older sister is immune to fear, can you? I was... happy in Altamira. This sort of danger is something I'd hoped I put behind me."

"Is it strange that I didn't really feel the same way?" Genis asked with a curious and almost frightened look. He met Raine's impassive gaze and felt a stab of guilt through him before he hastened to add, "I don't mean about you being happy, sis! I just mean... I liked adventuring."

"I know. I think deep down we all did. There's a certain thrill to journeying with your companions that makes you addicted to the feeling..." Raine agreed, and she closed her eyes as she relaxed against her younger brother's side. He nuzzled against her with a similar contentment, and she continued quietly, "I just want to believe that we find a quick end to this..."

* * *

**Thoda Geyser**

**That Night**

The silence of the destroyed ruins should have been unnerving, but Lloyd walked through them without hesitation or pause. The bag of Exspheres he had collected after breaking apart the seal weighed heavily on his shoulder, but he grit his teeth and continued on to the entrance. Normally he would leave the Exspheres in the seal because Tasogare wasn't with him, but she'd left instructions for him to bring them out of the seal and leave them with a lieutenant of hers. He couldn't help but wonder who the man coming was, but he kept a hand steady on Flamberge as he continued down the broken path that led to the entrance.

From his left he heard a quiet movement of rocks becoming unsettled, and in a swift movement Lloyd dropped the bag and spun on his heel to face the noise. Flamberge hissed through the air as Lloyd pointed it ahead of him, and his other hand held tight to the hilt of the Vorpal Sword in case he had to draw it.

A cool chuckle split the tense air, and from the shadows appeared a cloaked figure. He recognized the emblem that the Desian wore, a golden seal of Cruxis, but Lloyd didn't relax as the figure came closer. Beneath the hood he could make out a strong square chin with a few days worth of growth decorating it. The man had rather young features for such a strong-looking face, but his fierce emerald eyes proved that he was older than he appeared. What really caught Lloyd's attention though were the folded scythes that the man wore equipped to his wrists, and he stiffened as the man reached up to pull his hood from his head.

"Well, looks like I was right on time." He spoke with a strange accent that lilted like a breeze, and he tilted his head to the side as he looked Lloyd up and down speculatively. He clucked his tongue as if unhappy with what he found, and tucked his arms underneath his cloak as he sighed dramatically, "Really? This piece of human trash is what milady sends me out to order around? Seriously, when she said I was going to meet the son of Kratos I expected better."

Lloyd bristled and his hands tightened on his swords until they hurt. With great effort he forced himself to sheath his blades, but his jaw was tight as he waited for the orders he knew Tasogare had sent him. As much as he wanted to start an argument, or better yet a battle, he knew that his actions would be punished. Fear for his friends' safety forced him to remain silent and take the verbal abuse the lieutenant before him was giving.

The man cocked an eyebrow and his eyes took on an amused light as he examined the sheaths that Lloyd's swords had gone into. He noted that a ring decorated with a ruby stone adorned the swordsman's right hand, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "So, you're the new wielder of the Eternal Sword. Guess you're not as weak as I assumed at first. Still, a human is a human."

"And let me guess, you're a half-elf?"

"Angel, but close." The man replied with a rather good-humoured laugh at Lloyd's icy retort. He smiled viciously to reveal a pair of fangs that were likely filed down for appearances, and explained to the teenager, "I'm one of the Fallen, kid. Look up the exploits of my kind, and then you'll understand. Dáinn is my name, and you best learn it quick. Milady sent me here to give you orders to follow, and I hate being a middleman. I'm a soldier, not a mailman."

"Then give me your orders so I can leave." Lloyd shot back coolly and without hesitation. The angel pricked his already fragile last nerve, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could be calm in the face of such arrogance. He could tell the man was a powerful foe, but he was beyond caring about strength. He wanted to finish his mission.

"Flanoir. The Seal of Ice is where you need to go. Break the seal, take the cache and deliver it to Dvalinn, who is waiting there for you." Dáinn told him with a melodramatic sweep of his cloak. He continued on in an extremely bored voice, "You can't miss the guy, since he's got my face. The pain about being identical."

Lloyd fought against the urge to roll his eyes, and instead tossed the bag of Exspheres he had dropped at the unprepared angel. Dáinn, for his credit, caught it just before the weight could hit him in the chest and hefted it experimentally in one hand. His eyes glittered with a fierce amusement, which prompted Lloyd to say, "What the hell is your problem?"

"When I heard the son of Kratos was in our employ, I was eager to cross blades with you. I can see that you're the kind of human who won't die like a squealing pig, and that makes me eager to kill you." Dáinn answered with a malicious smile, and he thumbed the sharp edges of the scythe that was strapped to the hand that held the bag. His gloved hand protected him from slicing his fingers open on the weapon, and he met Lloyd's cool stare with a cruel grin, "Master of the Eternal Sword or not, you're still just a lowly human life form. I'm looking forward to watching you dance like the puppet you are. And when milady tires of you... I'm going to cut your seven strings one by one, and with great satisfaction."

Lloyd moved without thinking, and the Vorpal Sword shrieked through the air as it left its sheath and found its home pressed up against the angel's throat. His eyes gleamed with pure hatred and he turned his blade ever so slightly so that the icy blade's edge just threatened to nick the skin it was held against. His voice was a hoarse snarl as he reprimanded the angel before him, "Threaten my friends again and you'll lose your head, angel. I'm not afraid of what punishment I'll receive for slaughtering _you_."

Dáinn stared down at the blade that was only mere inches away from severing his lifeblood, and a smile lifted his lips at the swordsman's courage. Tasogare had warned him not to press the teenager lest he find his life worthless, but he couldn't help but want to see how many buttons he could push. The new recruit that had been suckered into service was a volatile one, and for once he found himself able to understand his lady's actions.

With a single finger the angel pushed away the sword at his throat, and his teeth gleamed in the darkness as he chuckled, "One day we will cross blades, and we'll see who comes across the victor. I'll warn you though that no one yet has bested me on the battlefield. You'll be hard-pressed to kill me, human."

"I look forward to it." Lloyd answered in a hiss, and he watched with scathing hatred as the angel shouldered the bag of Exspheres and left him there alone. His body trembled with barely controlled fury, and with a roar he turned on the rock wall behind him and let his sword fly into it. The blade sank through the stone all the way to its hilt, and frost bloomed from the gouge it had made.

Lloyd stared at the damage done and breathed hard as he tried to gain control over himself again. He worried about what his lapse of temper would do, but at the same time he was too furious to really care. He had already promised himself that one person holding a threat over his head was one too many, and he wouldn't allow anyone else to do the same. Tasogare had seemed to accept that initiative, and from what he had experienced so far she was the only one allowed to order him. The people underneath her would give him commands occasionally, but always they came from her.

'Dammit...' Lloyd stared at the sword he'd plunged into the rock face and finally he sighed and relaxed the tension in his body. He grasped the blade and yanked it from the wall before sheathing it again on his hip. The frost almost immediately began to melt from the humidity of the geyser now that the source was gone, and he watched it with a strange detachment.

He'd long ago practised the strange effects of his swords, and while he usually managed to find a delight in it... There was little that could bring a true smile to his face now. As he continued back towards the entrance where he would begin his long flight to Flanoir, he listened intently to the soft jingling of Corrine's bell. He touched it with a sad frown and gave it a soft shake to hear the chime again. He never would grow tired of hearing it, though he still was unused to its weight around his neck.

'When all this is said and done, Corrine... I'm going to make a grave for Sheena... right beside Mom's.' Lloyd thought with a quiet sigh, and he continued to stroke the precious memento that hung from the thin silver chain that had been thread through it. The idea hurt him but he couldn't stop once he had begun and he continued to whisper in his mind to the Summon Spirit who had been Sheena's greatest friend and ally for many years, 'I think she'd like that... but I think she'd wanna be buried in Mizuho too... I don't... I don't have anything to bury, just the bell... but I want to keep this. It's... It's going to be my admonition... my remembrance that I couldn't save her. She'd hate me for doing it, but I have to... I have to keep this near me... because I owe it to her.'

His mind flashed cruelly to the memories that his next destination invoked, and he grit his teeth as a fresh wave of pain went through him. Tasogare's words were cruel and bitter in his head and when they coupled with the memories that he had never examined so closely... He could see the signs he had missed and most importantly, the ones he had ignored. His heart throbbed and he chuckled ruefully at the pain that reopened his half-healed wounds.

'Sheena...'

"_Great... friends..."_

"_Oh... Y-You don't want to?"_

"_... Idiot!"_

'If I had known... would it have made a difference?' Lloyd wondered as he reached into his pocket to fetch the capsule that carried his Rheaird. He popped the latch and watched as the machine burst into the air and began to hum. The red-lined machine hovered off the ground and awaited him, and he leapt easily onto it and fixed his hands around the handlebars.

With a slight twist of his wrist the machine leapt into the air, and the wind roared in his ears as he took to the sky. It was one thing that always managed to lighten the weight on his chest, and he leaned hard to the side as he allowed the Rheaird to turn into a quick barrel-roll. One day he would have laughed, but now only a slight quirk of his lips manifested on his face.

As the wind blew back his hair from his face he allowed his mind to wander. He had much time to think and mourn, but truthfully he never let himself sink too deep into his mind. It was easier to block out the emotion and continue onwards, but as he flew towards Flanoir he couldn't help but feel the tug of his memories. Tasogare's unrelenting curiosity towards him had opened up several doors in his heart, doors that he hadn't even known existed. He wanted to explore those areas, because to him, it was the least he could do in the memory of his dear friend.

'Why... Why did I go with her when she came to the door in Flanoir...? What was it that made me go with her when I was sure I wanted to be alone...?'

He answered himself in a whisper that the wind snatched away, "Because she made me feel like I could talk to her about anything... and she wouldn't judge me. She felt the same way as I did and made it easy to tell her what was on my mind. She tried so hard to make it easier for me... when I never asked for her help. She was just... always there for me."

"_I suppose what even the oldest philosophers had said was true, you have no idea of the value of what you possess until it is gone from your grasp."_

Lloyd's hands tightened on his controls as he slowed to a crawl amongst the clouds. The wind had settled now with his drop of speed, and he looked forward towards the mountain ranges that would lead him to Flanoir in about a day's time. If he continued to fly at this speed it would take him longer, and though he knew Tasogare would be furious with him if he wasted time... He wasn't eager to go to the place where one of his warmest memories of Sheena was. He let out a painful sigh and tilted his head into the slipstream, 'As much as I hate to say it... She was right. You... You don't know what you have until it's gone. Iselia... Kratos... Now Sheena... How many things do I need to lose before I really understand?'

The rhythmic chime of Corrine's bell broke through his thoughts, and a firm scowl pulled at his lips as he acknowledged what it seemed to be telling him. He nodded firmly and muttered to himself, "Yeah... Yeah, this isn't the time to get like this... It's painful but I have to keep looking forward to the future. To what I'm going to do. After Flanoir... I have only a few seals left. I'll have hit Water, Air and Ice, so just there's just Earth, Lightning, Fire, Light and Darkness... When I finish with those seals... I'm going to take that damn angel out. With her out of the picture I can contact everyone and let them know that I'm okay and what's been happening... if they don't figure it out. I'm... I'm sure they're already looking. When I eliminate Tasogare... we can go and fight Mithos for the last time. He won't have enough time to assemble the gathered Exspheres if I move quickly...'

'I'll have to move really quickly... Tasogare won't be easy to defeat. I'd have to catch her unawares if I wanna be fast.' The thought was a bitter one, and it gnawed at his pride to do something so dishonourable. He wanted to fight her fairly, to bring her down without lies and deceit. Part of him didn't care how he did it, as long as he fulfilled the oath he had taken on Sheena's death. His eyes were narrowed slits and he growled to himself, "I'm going to do this the same way Kratos did to Kvar... Without lies, and without trickery. It... It'd be a stain on her memory if I didn't do it the same way as Dad did. I have... to be the better warrior."

He looked down at the glittering cerulean jewel that decorated his hand, and he could almost feel a quiet prickle of warmth emanate from it. He wanted to touch it but didn't dare let go of his controls for fear of crashing. He settled for gazing at the crystalline object that had cost his mother her life, and he spoke to it with a firm conviction, "I'm going to make you proud of me, Mom. I know that right now... I'm not what you hoped for... but I have to protect my friends. I can't let them get hurt because of me. I just can't... Not again. They mean too much to me. I hope you can understand that... I _am_ going to make up for this mess, I swear it!"

* * *

**Sybak**

**Campus Cottage**

**Late That Night**

Raine wasn't sure what it was that made her wake from her slumber, but she found herself lying flat on her back and staring up at the ceiling in confusion. She felt the warm and even breathing of her husband on her neck, and his firm arms encircling her waist. Normally just one of the two could easily lull her back to sleep but for a reason she couldn't explain she remained awake. She watched the ticking of the second-hand on the clock positioned at the far side of the room for at least five circuits before she pulled herself gingerly from the bed. She was careful to not wake her husband, and when she stood at the bedside she peeked down into his sleeping face.

A warm smile lifted her lips and she leaned down to gently press a kiss to his cheek before letting her hand fall tenderly over his hair. She tiptoed across the room on bare feet to leave it, and she carefully shut the door with a whisper to make sure she didn't wake him. She walked silently down the halls of the inn to the entrance, and she hoped that the research town of Sybak would be still at the late hour.

Her affinity for midnight strolls had begun sometime late on the journey of regeneration. When she'd been sure that the younger comrades were asleep and someone was on watch she would slip away quietly to walk in the wilderness for an hour or so. She was always careful to remain within distance of the camp and she never went unarmed, but the walks always managed to soothe her nerves. She would take the time to examine her surroundings and make notes of things she had never seen, and then she'd simply meditate or read a book she had brought along.

As she headed out of the entrance and into the street she mused that such walks were how she had begun bonding with Regal. He would occasionally accompany her, and while they rarely spoke they still would walk side-by-side in silent comfort. After a few weeks of this they had begun to chat, about what it didn't really seem to matter but each adult enjoyed the other's company. That late night habit had become a sort of ritual between the two, and had carried over into their marriage. Night strolls along the beach was their private guilty pleasure nowadays.

Raine held her shawl close around her as she mused tiredly, 'At least it used to be...' Their home was burned to the ground now. While rebuilding it wasn't exactly much of a problem when funds were concerned... it still had been their home. It didn't help that the Lezareno headquarters was permanently stained with George's murder. 'Our home...'

A gentle breeze ruffled her pale blue nightgown, and she smiled at the goosebumps that erupted all over her skin. The cool night air always managed to stimulate and relax her at the same time, and she leaned against the sturdy red brick of the inn as she took in the sight of the town at night.

Not a single soul was stirring so late, and she had a chance to admire the large square buildings that dotted the academy town. She mused that had the Imperial Research Academy not been responsible for the tragedy of her mother's madness she might have actually entertained the idea of researching there. Of course the idea would only have merit if the laws concerning half-elf discrimination were completely reappealed. Zelos had worked long and hard in conjunction with the kingdom of Tethe'alla to repeal most of the laws, but much discrimination still lingered in the reunited world. The extermination of the Desians had done well to help soften the attitudes of people, but there were still many who held onto the dark sentiments of discrimination.

Her love for knowledge had prompted the offer from the Palmacosta Academy, and it was one she had been honestly considering. Regal had suggested that other institutes across Aselia could use her skill, and that many places of work were open to her now that the journey had come to an end. Likewise he'd suggested that perhaps she could open her own school, and that thought had appealed to her greatly. Many different options were before her now, and to be truth, she was a little frightened of having so much choice.

'I suppose that they are things I'll need to look at once this second journey is over... I can't possibly leave now and go off to selfishly pursue my own goals. They can wait until this mess has settled... and maybe then I will have an idea of what I would like to do.' Raine smiled and took in a deep breath of the crisp night air. It cooled her skin and allowed her mind to wander with an absent happiness that she truly savoured.

With the contentedness seeping through her body she turned back towards the doors to return to her bed where her husband waited. She came face to face with a silver arrowhead aimed straight towards her face, and she froze where she stood. An archer stood just in front of her with the deadly arrow notched in his copper-coloured bow, and he smiled at her as his hood fell back to reveal his boyish face. He lifted two fingers from his grip on his bow and waved them at her, and his voice was a pleasant drawl as he greeted the stunned professor, "Don't you know it's dangerous for a woman like you to go walking around at night? Someone like me might want to stick a knife in your ribs."

**AN:**

**My chapters are getting shorter and shorter, aren't they...? Sad face... Blargh! They're getting shorter because the plot is getting better! (Lies. Such lies. XD)**

**~ Sky**


	13. Divided Hearts

**Sybak**

**Campus Cottage**

**Late Night**

Raine took in a sharp breath, and she looked down at the arrow that the man had lowered so that if he fired it would pierce her through the chest. Her shock was settling quickly and allowed her to taste the strange mix of mana that she had come to identify as angelic. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and she cursed herself as she pictured her Crystal Rod leaning by the doorway in her room. She forced herself to keep a level head and voice as she retorted to the threat, "Yes, well if that were the case you'd be using a knife and not pointing an arrow at me instead. Considering that you've yet to kill me that means you have something you want to say?"

"I was told you're a smartass, but I didn't expect you to be so cavalier." The angel replied with a low laugh, and his grassland-coloured eyes were amused as he raised his hand so that his arrow was pointed dead between her eyes. She didn't flinch away from him when he moved closer to touch the tip of the arrow to her skin, and he held firm to the tail as he continued, "I can see why milady sent me to deal with you and not your brother."

'Milady... He must work for that Tasogare woman. Sheena was right in classifying her as a general, or something of the like.' Raine's mind was racing but she kept her face completely smooth. Her body betrayed her by shivering just the slightest bit, but she hoped she could pass it off as a reaction to the cool night temperature. She folded her arms over her stomach and calmly met the amused stare of the angel before her before saying coolly, "Well, considering you have my attention... Are you going to deliver the message you have for me?"

The archer cocked an eyebrow at her smooth tone, and he couldn't disguise a second chuckle. His voice held a hint of admiration as he spoke to her, "I'm rather partial to your fire, half-elf... Back in my day I might've taken you on horseback and refused to surrender you. It's quite a pity you're a traitor."

"The message." Raine curled her lip in repugnance, and she was hard-pressed to not lash out at the amused way he spoke of keeping her like an object. It did give her a hint to his age, as those kind of conquests were ancient in thought. He looked young, enough to be at least only three decades, and she assumed that he must have used a Cruxis Crystal to halt his growth. His weapon was of ancient design, built with horn and sinew and inlaid with crude metalwork but she didn't doubt its strength.

"Yes, yes... I guess a married woman like you wouldn't be interested in my offer." He chuckled in amusement, and then blew upwards to move a forelock of his long black hair from his eyes. He tilted his head to the side and swept his gaze over her scantily clad body before smirking cheekily. "As I believe you are already aware... Your mother is in the protective custody of milady. I assume that you'd like her returned to you... but that will not be without cost."

"Hostage negotiation... I'm impressed with how far Cruxis has fallen." Raine commented with a sharp smirk of her own, and she knew her barb had the desired effect when the snide laughter faded from the archer's face. His bandaged hands tightened noticeably around his bow and string, causing the arrow to give a slight tremor from the added pressure.

"I should remind you that your mother is in our hands, and your behaviour will affect what shape she's returned to you, if any at all." The archer's wild eyes darkened with anger, and he moved his arrow thoughtfully from her chest to her face again. He savoured the thought of plunging the weapon deep into her body, and he continued in a warning growl, "There will be no toleration for insults against my master."

"Then give me the message and stop dancing around your point." Raine retorted venomously. She was in no mood to continue to trade insults with the angel, especially when her mother's life was on the line.

"Good idea." The angel agreed with a sharp chuckle, and he stepped back somewhat before meeting her furious gaze with a calm one of his own. He loosened his grip slightly on his weapon and then explained to her coolly, "Now... What is needed from you is simple. One week from now there will be a trade-off. This trade will take place in the mountain-range near Hima. You will come alone to the specified location, and with exactly thirty grams of Mana Leaf Herb."

"Mana Leaf Herb?" Raine repeated with narrowed eyes, and she noted the grim smile that decorated the negotiator's face. He was making no joke, and this set alarm bells flaring in the back of her mind. She quickly went through the uses of the elven plant and came up empty on why Cruxis could possibly have need of it. 'The treatment of Martel's ailment... a powerful catalyst for magic... Cruxis should have no problem getting a hold of the plant, and yet they're demanding it for a hostage transaction...?'

"Yes, thirty grams of it." He confirmed with a blank shadow to his eyes. She would get no answers for her questions from him, and she scowled with annoyance as he continued, "Acquire it however you wish... but you must appear alone at the mountain range if you wish to leave with your mother. At the end of the seven day period if you fail to appear... the hostage will be executed."

'One week...' Raine's expression remained perfectly impassive as her thoughts ran wild inside of her head. It had taken well over a week to search the Latheon Gorge during their first and only journey to find the Mana Leaf Herb, and then a deadly battle with its guardian had followed that. The reunification of the world had vastly changed the continent's geography, and she mused worriedly that it could take longer if she wasn't sure where she was going inside of the gorge. The Hima region had thankfully remained mostly the same, and if she found the plant it wouldn't be much of a challenge to get there on time. 'Can I possibly find it within a week...? I doubt that bargaining for time would be effective.'

"So, I assume you understand the terms of the deal." The archer raised an eyebrow and smiled sneakily at her when her eyebrows furrowed and she scowled. He opened his mouth to continue but was cut off when a hiss of fire snapped by his face and slammed into his bow. An aura of green surrounded his weapon the instant the fireball would have struck the bow, and the magic dissipated with a furious hiss.

Raine leapt backwards and to the side out of range of the man's arrow when the attack dissolved, and when the archer whirled to meet his attacker he came face to face with a cool-eyed Zelos. The archer grinned at the sight of the Chosen, and he lazily stepped backwards and away from the redhead. His voice retained its amused tinge as he nodded his head respectfully to Zelos, "My, my, Chosen. Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a conversation with a lady?"

"You and I have some things we need to discuss, and Miss Raine seemed finished with you." Zelos replied with a cool wave of his hand, but his eyes were dancing with the fire he had just sent to interrupt the two. The bloodlust he was feeling was radiating from him and his hand was still outstretched and ready to send a second attack. "I'd advise you to step away from the lady unless you want to be roasted, Desian."

"Dvalinn, actually, but close." Dvalinn corrected him with a taunting smile, but he obliged Zelos' threat and stepped away from Raine. The professor quickly darted from behind him and to Zelos' side, and he could see that she was fighting the urge to attack just like Zelos had earlier. He idly examined the arrow that hadn't escaped the fireball and shrugged before tossing it aside and retrieving a second from the quiver on his back. He didn't notch it but rather stood with it loosely in his hand as he met the furious gaze of the Chosen and professor before him. His voice was still warm with laughter and the cold words that left his lips clashed terribly with the tone, "Now Raine, I'm going to ask you if you understand what will happen to your dear mother if you permit your redheaded friend to attack me. I'll allow you to make the judgement call."

Raine grit her teeth together at the angel's leverage, but she could tell Zelos wasn't as cowed by it. There was only really two reasons why he was on this journey and that was Lloyd and Seles. He wanted blood for the attack on his sister, and he was determined to get it by any means necessary. Knowing full well that he would be furious with her for it, she still reached out and placed a hand on his arm and forced his hand down. She locked eyes with the angel called Dvalinn and spoke to him firmly, "I understand your message and you will get what you desire in return for her safety. You'll also get your life, for now. I suggest you leave before the Chosen unleashes his anger on you."

"Duly noted, my bewitching professor." Dvalinn bowed before her with a charming grin, and then he sent Zelos a similar look. He stood tall and hitched his bow against his quiver before playfully spinning his arrow between his fingers. He tossed it towards the two, and Zelos expertly caught it before Raine could even extend her hand to do so. "A parting gift. Adieu."

Zelos watched through stone eyes as the man vanished into the shadows of the city and disappeared within moments. He then turned to Raine, still gripping the silver arrow in his hands. He shook his head and handed the arrow to her with great effort, and he explained through grit teeth to her, "This arrow is almost identical to the one that hit Seles in Meltokio."

"You killed the archer responsible for attacking Seles." Raine raised an eyebrow as she stated the words Zelos had told them upon their arrival in Meltokio. A moment passed and she realized with a growl that he meant that the would-be assassin was likely serving under the archer they had just seen. "Damn... So this angel is responsible for ordering the attack on you..."

"He's going to regret messing with my family." Zelos assured her with a dark scowl, and he glared at the arrow that Raine held gingerly in her hand. He could see a scroll of paper wrapped around the shaft, and he nodded towards it before muttering, "That's likely the location you'll have to show up at one week from now."

"So, you heard that entire exchange." Raine cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her stomach. She leaned back tiredly on the brick wall of the inn and rubbed at her arms to get the blood flowing again. Common sense told her that she should retire inside but she was still shivering from the encounter and didn't want to move until she could recover her wits. She noted his narrowed eyes and warned him pointedly, "You'll get your revenge for your sister, Zelos, but it won't be at the cost of my mother's life."

Zelos laughed once, and the noise was short and bitter. He took the arrow from Raine's hand and spun it along his fingers like Dvalinn had done shortly before as he explained, "Trust me, I don't intend to have anyone but those Desians pay for what happened. It wouldn't be right. But you have to admit... what we're doing seems oddly backwards for us, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does." Raine agreed with a rueful chuckle, and she looked down at her gripped hands as she nodded. "Revenge is the motivating factor here... This angel... Tasogare... she definitely understands how to manipulate her enemies. She strikes for the weaknesses of our team."

"She's made us into quite a dangerous enemy by doing that." Zelos replied with a raised eyebrow, and Raine nodded with a fearsome glitter to her eyes. He knew that to have the professor as an enemy was indeed a dangerous thing, and he could only imagine what torture Tasogare would go through at her hands for daring to touch her family. He already knew what he would be doing, and it amused him morbidly that he wasn't the only one plotting the angel's demise.

Sheena was likewise thirsty for blood, and Regal was aching to find and kill the person responsible for murdering his friend and coworker. He had seen Genis' anger at the revelation that Cruxis had his mother, and knew that the boy would go to the ends of the world and beyond to ensure her safety. The only two who had yet to display the same need for revenge was Colette and Presea. He understood that Colette would never wish for death, and Presea felt indebted to Tasogare for saving Genis' life despite the kidnapping of Virginia.

He crossed his arms over his waist an eye her calculating expression before asking, "Do you think she'll show personally in Hima?"

"This Dvalinn mentioned that Mother is 'in the custody' of his master. I assume that he works directly underneath Tasogare due to his constant references to 'his lady'." Raine replied but her eyes were dark and thoughtful as she allowed her mind to spin. "If Tasogare is risking showing herself personally... Well, she'll have to take into account that we may set up an ambush once we assure Mother's safety. Then again... She may do the same and kill me when I arrive. There's simply no knowing until we're there."

"Now there's two more questions I need to ask." Zelos ran a hand errantly through his hair and his other moved absently along his hilt as he questioned with a hint of amusement, "The first is do you figure your hubby is going to let you go to this trade-off alone and the second is do you think you'll be able to get the Mana Leaf Herb in time?"

"The first is a question for Regal, and the second is going to depend on how quickly we can decide what to do." Raine answered him without hesitation, and she reached out to lightly whack him above the ear. He smiled at the gesture and she closed her eyes as she leaned back again, "We still need to contact the Renegades to set up extra security measures around the seals until Sheena is ready to break them herself. Of course, we need to check the seals to ensure that the barriers aren't broken either. We can either split up a second time or put the Exspheres on the back burner. It will all depend on what we'll have to put first."

"You do realize you're thinking that Sheena will put the Exspheres before your mother, right?" Zelos cocked both eyebrows now, and then he whistled low as he understood what Raine had meant. He laughed under his breath and crossed his arms over his stomach as he muttered, "Nice, Professor... Weighing Lloyd against your mother, you think Sheena will definitely pick Lloyd. That's cold, really cold."

"She's in love with Lloyd, it's an obvious choice for her." Raine shot back, but there was no anger or blame in her eyes as she spoke the obvious. She understood well how Sheena could make a choice that should have infuriated her, but she couldn't lay guilt on her for it. As it were the choice hadn't even been made. She cocked an eyebrow as she turned to look dead at Zelos and she asked pointedly, "Consider this. It's like asking me to weigh Regal's life against your sister's. Things become infinitely more complicated, yet simple, when you're in love."

"Point taken." Zelos had to admit with a rueful chuckle, even though he bristled somewhat at Raine's example. He couldn't deny that she had a point about it, but he still was a little sour about her thoughts. Raine wouldn't condemn Sheena for whatever choice she made, and he was slightly impressed that she was putting half of the decision on the summoner. "We're in a pretty tight situation right now without Lloyd... Even though we're all here we're still divided. It's a bit impressive how quickly we can fall apart."

"That's a very sad thought coming from you." Raine remarked and she shook her head before blowing out a tired breath. She turned to move inside, and she heard Zelos following close behind her. The halls of the inn were still stone silent, and as they moved to the upper floor where their rooms were she questioned over her shoulder, "How did you know that something was happening outside? Your arrival was... well, a little too prompt."

"Colette woke up when she heard you leaving your room. She went across the hall to get me because she had a bad feeling." Zelos answered with a wicked grin, and he watched as Raine flushed in embarrassment. He chuckled and waved a hand as she turned her head back to the hallway before her, "I made her promise to wait while I went out to make sure nothing happened to you. It was a good thing our little angel was so adamant. You owe her big, Professor."

"Give her my thanks then when you send her off to bed." Raine replied with a shake of her head. She admitted that she was truly grateful that Colette had retained her angelic abilities, but she was still slightly embarrassed about it too. She had hoped for privacy and even though her hopes would have put her in a rather dangerous spot... Raine sighed. She decided to switch tactics in order for Zelos to stop teasing her, but her thoughts were sincere when she turned on the spot to face the Chosen, "That reminds me... _Do_ send her to bed. I don't like the idea of her remaining in your room."

Once the idea would have made him laugh darkly and make a joke, but instead Zelos was surprised by a sudden heat that exploded across his face. It took him a moment to realize that he was actually blushing, and he cursed himself to the pits of hell for it. Especially when he saw Raine narrow her eyes just the tiniest bit at his reaction. He hurriedly waved away her patronizing stare and said in what he hoped was a blase way, "If you say so, Professor, I'll make sure she goes straight to her own room. I've gotta say though that I'm somewhat insulted by your assumption."

"Right." Raine rolled her eyes and tried her best to contain her smile as she turned towards the door that led to her own room. A single chuckle escaped her when she opened the door to vanish inside. She heard him spluttering indignantly at her, and she couldn't help but laugh again.

Zelos scowled at the sound of her laughter, and he moved quickly through the hall to his room. The door was ajar and he spotted Colette waiting anxiously for him on the edge of the bed. She bolted to her feet and hurried to him with a look of worry clouding her face. Zelos felt his irritation melting away at the sight of her and he reached out to gently cluck her under the chin. "Everything's okay, angel."

"The professor is alright?" Colette asked with a frown, and she wrung her hands nervously. She'd woken at the sound of the door clicking closed from across the room, and she'd instinctively known that her professor was walking into danger. Part of her was worried about her own paranoia but she trusted her intuition. When Zelos grinned lopsidedly at her she exhaled happily in relief and hugged the redhead close. "Thank goodness..."

"You saved her hide by coming to me." Zelos told her with a chuckle, and he pat her on the head when she pulled away to look at him in disbelief. He explained with a weary sigh, "Someone from Cruxis came to deliver a message about her mother. If you hadn't woke me up she might've been taken along with 'em."

Colette bit down on her lower lip, but Zelos gently ran a finger along her cheek to soothe her. She mused that she'd never felt so at ease with someone touching her as constantly as Zelos did, but the caresses always felt natural. She forced a weak smile and said softly, "You chased them off?"

"Yeah. He took off right after I showed up. He left a message with her, and just ran away. Raine'll tell you about it tomorrow morning. Everyone needs their rest after today." Zelos ruffled her hair again and then gently steered her by the small of her back towards the door. She paused in the doorway and looked up at him with an unreadable expression, and he asked her, "What's wrong now, angel?"

"Thank you for believing me." Colette took his hand from her back and squeezed it between her own with a grateful smile. He shook his head with a low chuckle, and she beamed happily at him before turning back towards where she, Presea and Genis had slept. She paused before she left and then she took in a deep breath before turning back to him. He glanced at her in confusion and she stood on tiptoe before kissing him on the cheek. Before he could react she fled back into her room and shut the door behind her.

Zelos stared speechlessly at the door that Colette had fled to, and his right hand moved up to his cheek where he'd been kissed. He could feel an annoyingly familiar heat warming his face, and worse the familiar tightening in his stomach. His body reacted to her touch and he growled in annoyance. He felt dirty for lusting after her, and that kiss hadn't done anything to clear his conscience. Rather it was a battle for him not to go back into the room, take her in his arms and pull her back to his bed.

He slammed his hand furiously into the wall, and the shooting pain that resounded through it only managed to slightly abate his hunger. He could hear Raine's quiet warning in his ears and it worsened the guilt that tied his stomach in knots. He snarled furiously as he punched the wall a second time, "Dammit... Colette, what the hell are you trying to do to me...?"

He walked forward to the closed door and touched it with his fingers and then leaned his forehead to the cool wood. He let out a tired sigh and muttered under his breath as he leaned against it, "I think I'm starting to lose my mind, angel... You can't be good for me."

* * *

**Flanoir**

**The Renegade's Base**

**The Following Afternoon**

Sheena shifted uncomfortably as she walked silently behind one of the renegade soldiers who was underneath Yuan's command. For reasons that escaped her the men and woman who had infiltrated the Desian strongholds two years ago still felt it appropriate to dress in Desian fashion. Though she was well aware that the people serving in the Flanoir base weren't a threat to her she was still fighting off anxiety at the sight of them.

The man she was following led her through the corridors she had once snuck along in search of the Rheairds. She kept her hands in her sleeves and fingered her battle cards in order to soothe her nerves. She watched as the man with her keyed in the code to enter Yuan's private quarters, and when he stepped aside to allow her entry she nodded once to him. Her fingers tightened nervously around her weaponry as she stepped inside, but thankfully the sight of Yuan at his desk managed to calm her.

The angel stood at her arrival, and he nodded deeply in greeting. He brushed a hand through his long hair and tucked it behind his ear before gesturing for her to take a seat before his desk. He waited until she had sat before he did the same, and then began to speak with a question in his voice, "I was surprised to hear that you were at the front doors asking to see me. I hope you didn't draw any attention to yourself when you were coming here."

"I changed course twice and disembarked an hour away." Sheena replied with a roll of her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile at his paranoia. Even two years later Yuan was as devious and careful as ever. She mused that his nature was exactly the reason why she had come to see him, and so she couldn't exactly complain. "I need your help."

"I guessed that much when I heard you showed up." Yuan shook his head and relaxed back into seat as he surveyed her with a raised eyebrow. She met his gaze, unabashed, and he mused that she had recovered well to meet his eyes. The last time he had seen her in Meltokio she had been jumpy and fragile. It was obvious her strength and bravery had been bolstered by her latest mission. So he rested his cheek in one hand and informed her simply, "If we had news on Lloyd we would have given it to you, so I know that's not why you're here. So, I'm going to guess the second reason why you'd come seeking my help. You want to check the barrier in the Seal of Ice, and you need a bit of a guard with you."

"Half right." Sheena bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling at him. Though the angel easily could get on her nerves, and he had during her work with him, he was a quick-witted and no-nonsense type of man. She enjoyed that and so she explained to him without any banter, "One week from now some group masquerading as Desians are going to have a trade-off in Hima. Raine's mother is a hostage, and they're demanding Mana Leaf Herb for her release. I came to ask you if you'd mind participating."

Yuan leaned forward with great interest, but Sheena could tell that his guard had shot up at the mention of the plant that had been a cure for Colette's disease. The same disease that had struck Martel. "They want Mana Leaf Herb? These Desians are asking for Mana Leaf Herb? That I don't understand."

"There wasn't a store of it on Derris Kharlan since we were the ones who brought it there before. You never had a need for it until Colette was diagnosed." Sheena frowned and she drummed her fingers on the armrests of the plush chair she was seated in. "You've been around a lot longer than me, Yuan. Do you know why the Desians would want Mana Leaf Herb?"

"I'm afraid my only guess is to create a Rune Crest. Using Mana Leaf Herb as a catalyst for magic is an old technique, only the elves use it these days." Yuan answered with a shake of his head, but his eyes glittered with a curious fire. He then shook his head again and said, "You do know that their asking for Mana Leaf Herb could be a diversion. They could have asked for anything, and you guys would have crossed the entire continent to get it. They know that you'll do anything to save your professor's mother."

"True enough." Sheena admitted with a grudging smile, and then she repeated with a cocked eyebrow, "So, are you going to help? I'm sure you're as annoyed as we are at this new batch of dolts running around and calling themselves Desians."

"Yes, I am annoyed, and yes... I guess I will help. I'll send a few of my men to help you at the seal, and then those same men will go with you to Hima. I'm not about to let my entire force walk into a trap, so you're going to need to deal with only a handful of foot-soldiers." Yuan answered her with a firm tone, and when Sheena rolled her eyes he pointed out, "I do have other things on my mind, you know. You aren't the only one on the lookout for Lloyd. I already posted sentries around the seals, like I'm sure you were going to request, and I'm also watching the Great Tree. Right now my highest priority is to keep it safe, everything else comes second, which I know you know."

Sheena rubbed tiredly at her brow at his condescending tone, but she couldn't argue with his point. The Great Tree was what kept the world alive, and it's safety and nurturing came before anything else. Yuan had been assigned the role of guardian while they had been searching for Exspheres, and the angel took his duty very seriously. He only rarely left its side to return to the base, and it had been a longshot that Sheena would have found him here. "Yes, yes... I know, Yuan, and I'm sorry. I'm just... at the end of my rope like everybody else."

"You seem to have recovered some, but you still are uncomfortable around uniformed soldiers." Yuan noted with a sigh, and Sheena flushed as she looked away in embarrassment. He was impressed with her attempt to be nonchalant, especially when her mind and heart was much more scarred than her body was. She was nervous and jumpy still around his soldiers, and she had only relaxed when she'd entered his chambers. He'd watched her progress on the monitors and had frowned the entire time. "Are your wounds nearly healed?"

"Yeah... I intend to break the barrier on the Seal of Ice, and I want you to collect the Exspheres there. We're going to be doing that to all of the barriers, to keep the collections safe."

Yuan snapped his fingers as if he had just remembered something, and he looked down to the papers collected on his desk and then handed one to Sheena. She looked down and examined it with confusion, and he reached over to point to a photograph of the Ruins of Balacruf before explaining, "Someone got into the collection at the Seal of Wind. Three hundred Exspheres are unaccounted for. The Ruins were blasted from the back, and the barrier you made with the Sylph and Gnome was undisturbed but the Exspheres were still stolen. You only protected them on one front in that seal. Whoever got into them must have known how to get around your barrier."

"Shit..." Sheena cursed quietly as she looked over the photograph of the ruins that had been violated. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what had happened to her the previous night, and in horror she looked up to meet Yuan's gaze. At first she had attributed the sudden nausea and migraine to her nightmare, but as she looked to the seal in the picture below she understood with a terrified jolt. A seal she had created, somewhere in the world had been broken, and the sudden influx of mana from that seal had startled her body and the Summon Spirits that resided within her.

"Sheena...?" Yuan questioned curiously at the look of sickened realization that had taken over her face. Her tawny eyes were wide and her complexion had gone terribly pale. It only took him a few moments to realize what had caused her to have such a reaction, and he lunged forward across his desk instinctively as he demanded, "A seal was broken, wasn't it? Someone broke one of your seals and you just realized it now!"

"I... I didn't know what it was... I... I had these awful dreams..." Sheena stammered as the truth crashed into her and left her weak. The physical affects of the breaking of a seal had resembled too much of how she'd been feeling in the past few weeks for her to differentiate between them. Her head fell into her hands and she moaned, "Dammit! How many seals could have been broken into while I was like this? I never even considered it! I didn't even think that a seal could've been broken in the first place!"

"Loopholes can only do so much... Breaking apart a seal would require a new pact-maker... or..." Yuan didn't finish his sentence because Sheena jerked her head up and fixed him with an intensely furious glower. However, the angel didn't need to finish his words because he knew that the ninja could complete it on her own. Only two things could sever a mana link, and since the first was impossible... the second would be the use of Origin and the Eternal Sword. He lowered his body back into his seat and took in a deep breath through his nose so he could recover his wits and temper. Once he was calm he gazed at the summoner with a firm gaze and said, "We can quibble about this at a latter date. Right now... The top priority is to recover the Exspheres stored away behind the seals, as they are most definitely no longer safe. I will personally accompany you to the Flanoir seal in several hours time. I will need to select several men to aid us."

Sheena forced herself to store her anger somewhere deep in her chest so she wouldn't lash out. The logic was beginning to work its way into her heart and she hated it with every inch of her soul... but she had more pressing matters to attend to. She would have to bring up the issue eventually, but she would deal with that when the appropriate time came. With that in mind, Sheena returned Yuan's gaze tit for tat and said firmly, "Fine. I'll meet you at the seal in a few hours."

Yuan nodded in response, and Sheena moved from her seat and to her feet. She was drained, both physically and emotionally, and she had no desire to remain in his presence. Thankfully the angel understood her desire and made no motion to stop her from leaving. She made her way through the base with quick and forceful strides, and once she was outside the cold air seemed like a blessing to her overheated skin.

She stood there for a full few minutes, simply allowing the wind and snow to cool off her frustration and anger. However it did its job too well, and left her feeling only even more empty than before. A defeated sigh escaped her lips, and she looked up to the sky as the melancholy absence left her aching. She could almost feel the city of Flanoir calling to her, and with a stone expression she shoved her hand into a hidden pocket to retrieve her Rheaird.

With easy and practised movements she allowed the machine to escape its confines and appear before her on the ice. She hopped onto the seat and kicked the engine on before fixing her hands tightly around the handlebars. A small thrill went through her as she roared off into the sky, and despite herself, a little smile came to her lips. She never could resist a good flight, and the caress of the wind on her cheek always brought out a good mood.

Sadly though, the flight into Flanoir was a short one. By the time she'd arrived the cold had gotten worse, and Sheena grit her teeth tightly together as she reminded herself to buy a coat the next time she decided to visit the wintry city. She pulled the sleeves of her kimono tighter against her body, and she cursed the fact that the lining was only built for protection instead of warmth. She walked slowly through the snow-covered pathways and her feet led her impulsively to the place where her best memories of the town lay.

The snow fell down on her but she ignored the tiny biting flakes as she stepped up the stairs to the small little viewing area that rested just outside of the church's front. She took in a deep breath of the cold air and watched as a plume of mist escaped her lips when she exhaled. She leaned forward onto the frost-covered railing and let her mind wander.

The feeling of snow on her bare arms gave her an odd sense of comfort, and she glanced around the area to see that there was a set of footprints that had led to and from the veranda. The fact that snow hadn't covered them yet proved that the person had left not too much earlier. Sheena smiled sheepishly as she silently thanked them for giving her a chance to glimpse the majestic view of the city and to settle her mind in secrecy. She forced the present to flee her thoughts, and instead she settled back into the warm refuge of past memories that weren't nearly as hurtful.

Words that were spoken two years ago raced through her mind, and she closed her eyes as she let the feelings she had felt back then wash over her; hesitancy, warmth, hope and the faintest blooms of something she had been to naive to name. The thoughts made her stomach clench, and she breathed in deep of the frigid air of the city. Just going up to his room that night had taken all of her courage, and she could well remember how desperate and hopeful she had been when she knocked at his door and asked him to join her outside.

'Two years... Has it really been two years...?' Sheena curled her arms and supported her torso on the railing, and she gazed down from the terrace with a sad smile curling her lips. A quiet breeze blew snow across the back of her neck, and she shivered delicately but didn't move from where she stood. Her thoughts were sad and she forced memories to the forefront of her mind so that she could banish the sadness, 'I... was so shy. All I wanted was to just spend some time with him. I didn't care what we talked about or where we were, I just... wanted to talk to him...'

"_You wanna- You wanna come outside with me? It's snowing, and it's really pretty."_

They had walked outside and to the terrace together, and Sheena remembered with a horrid flush that she'd actually tripped while going up the stairs. He'd caught her by the elbow, laughed, and helped her stand straight while she'd mentally cursed herself to the pits of hell for being clumsy. She'd shaken off his hold with a dark mutter and she'd watched him smile from the corner of her eyes as he'd raised his hands in defeat and shook his head as they continued on.

"_You're almost as clumsy as Colette, aren't you, Sheena?"_

"_Sh-Shut up! There was ice!"_

"_Watch your step then. It'd suck if you fell. Do you need to hang onto my arm?"_

"Man, I should've grabbed his arm when he offered..." Sheena mumbled to herself, and her smile was bittersweet as she gazed down from the terrace. She could clearly see the fur-clad citizens of the town milling about their business, but her gaze caught on a young couple who were walking arm in arm through the paths. She tilted her head slightly and leaned down further as she watched the taller of the two slip on the ice and grip the arm of their companion who fell down with them. The two landed in a heap, one on top of another, and their peals of laughter echoed all the way up to the ninja who was watching them.

Sheena couldn't help but smile along with them, and she observed them in silent envy as the taller man reached out to help his fallen girlfriend. She grasped his gloved hand and yanked him back down, and then rolled him into a nearby snowbank. The two tussled and laughed, throwing hastily-made snowballs at each other and trying their best to not really hit each other.

It was a sight that made her laugh and she turned her back on the terrace and gazed up at the sight of the church that cushioned the skyline. Part of her wondered how it was still run, considering that the goddess Martel had been outed as a half-elf and sister of the now-infamous Mithos Yggdrasil of the Kharlan War. She remembered posing that question to Lloyd during their trip through Flanoir last year, and he'd shrugged his shoulders before suggesting that despite Martel not being 'the' goddess...

"_People still need to pray. They need to feel that there _is_ someone out there who will listen to them, you know? Colette's always saying that when things are bad... they turn to the church to soothe their worry. Maybe it's not Martel anymore but there's still someone... somewhere that is hearing the prayers."_

While she hadn't really understood it then, Sheena was beginning to now. The sense of hopelessness that had buried her for the past few weeks had moved her to do something she hadn't done for quite some time, and that was to pray. She hadn't known to whom she was sending her unsaid messages, but it didn't stop her from thinking them. She wanted to have a reassurance that couldn't be given to her from the people around her, and so she had turned her eyes skyward. She understood now that the urge to find reassurance or comfort turned the people of the world to the goddesses and gods.

The laughter from below was fading out into silence, and Sheena chuckled quietly at the sense of relief that filled her chest. She was happy for that couple below her, but at the same time the sounds of love and amusement caused a ringing pain in her heart. She hugged her arms tightly to her to conserve warmth, and slowly she turned back around to the railing.

The snow had begun to fall harder now, and she shook out the flakes that had landed in her hair and had begun to melt. Circe's words still rang loud in her mind and prevented her from moving from the terrace. She was confused as to what the words meant, but she had still followed the request made of her and ventured to Flanoir. Sheena glanced up to the grey sky and let out a tired breath before beginning the trek back to the hotel where her things were. She was tired and cold, and she knew some sleep would do her very well before she ventured to the Seal of Ice to break the barrier.

By the time she was back at the hotel the snow had become nearly blinding, and she grumbled as she shoved her arms deep into the opposite sleeves, "Geez, Celsius! I know you're happy to be in Flanoir but does that mean you need to slam us with a snowstorm?" There was no verbal response but she felt a shiver of cold well up from deep inside of her as if the Summon Spirit of Ice wanted her to know that she was listening.

Sheena climbed the stairs to her room with stiff and slow movements, and when she reached the door her teeth were still chattering. She all but dove into her bed and wrapped the warm bedding around her. She sighed happily at the warmth that was quick to shoo away the cold, and she chuckled at her own reaction. She hated the cold and doubted she would ever get used to it.

The heated blankets soothed her prickled skin, and she wrapped them in tight around her body as she nestled deep into the bed. It didn't take very long for the warmth and her own exhaustion to suck her deep into a black and peaceful void. Within minutes her eyes were tightly shut and her breathing was even and steady as she slept on.

Her sleep was deep, deep enough for her not to even stir when the door creaked open and a cloaked figure entered the room. Slow footfall crossed the room to her beside, and slowly a hand descended from under the cloak to come to rest mere inches over Sheena's sleeping face. The hand curled into a tight fist and then pulled away from her, and a quiet weight joined her on the bed. The hand moved a second time for her, and in the gloved palm rested a silver ring adorned with a single diamond, and it was set down gently on the pillow beside the sleeping ninja.

The hood fell back from the intruder's head, and adust eyes sadly stared at the face of the young woman who slept on oblivious next to him. He removed his gloves silently and set them on his knee, and then reached out to tentatively brush a lock of her hair back from her face. She stirred ever so slightly at the hesitant touch, and she murmured in the midst of what had to be a pleasant dream, "Lloyd..."

The hand froze and then the intruder who had been named let out the quietest of chuckles at her whisper. Lloyd's eyes softened as he moved his fingers gently over her cheek, and he finally withdrew his hand for fear of waking her. His entire being was shrieking at him to wake her, to let her know that he was here with her. In the midst of recollecting bittersweet memories on the terrace he had spotted her entering the city. He'd nearly fallen over in his shock and delight, and then the words of his leader had bit hard through his ecstasy at seeing his partner alive.

He wasn't to let his friends know that he was alive or out and moving. So he'd moved, against all of his instincts back into the shadows. He knew he should've left the city entirely but he couldn't manage to move from his hiding place. He'd sat there, silent and tingling with emotion, to watch as she'd taken his place on the terrace and began to brood as he had done. Despite knowing different he'd followed her back to the hotel and waited until he had been sure that she must've begun to sleep.

Now he sat beside her on the bed and stared at her as twin surges of longing and guilt rose up in him. To know that she was alive had done horrible and great things to him, and he could only really stare at her as the realization sank through his brain. It was an incredibly precious moment to him, just to watch her, but he craved more. He wanted to take her into his arms and hold on tight, to reassure him that she was real and breathing.

"I'm so glad you're alright, Sheena..." Lloyd muttered softly, and he withdrew his hand regretfully. He forced himself to his feet, and he watched as she stirred again and turned over in her sleep. He couldn't help but laugh at her happy murmur, and he adjusted the diamond ring he'd left for her on the pillow.

The gift from Origin, like the other precious gems, had been for her but with a laugh and shake of her head Sheena had distributed them to her comrades while only keeping the remaining ones for herself. The sapphire, sardonyx and topaz she had kept as there had been no one left to give them to, but she only wore one of the three remaining jewels. Even now he could see Volt's gift blinking sedately on her right hand. He had plucked his ring from his own hand and set it down beside her, and knew she would find it and understand when she awoke.

"I wish I could tell you myself... but I can't put you in danger." Lloyd said quietly, and he moved away from the bed and watched as the diamond glittered in the pale light of the room. Turning his back from her was the most difficult thing he had ever done, and by the time he reached the door he was running for freedom. Corrine's bell chimed loudly, as if protesting his flight, but he ignored it and kept on running. In the blinding snow outside he skid on the ice, and he growled under his breath as he staggered forward.

He knew it wasn't the snow that clouded his vision, but he pressed forward to the city limits as his hand reached into his cloak to retrieve his wing pack. He growled between grit teeth as his Rheaird popped from its confines, and he hastily slung a leg over it and took to the air. The snowstorm was vicious and whipped at his face, but he ignored the stinging pain and kept flying higher and higher. He growled through grit teeth as he slammed hard on the thrusters, "I lost you once, Sheena... I _won't _lose you again!"

**AN:**

**It's been awhile, lol, but I'm back with an update under my arm... In any case, the home-front on my end is full of trouble, which makes it very difficult for me to write. I'm very grateful for my readers who are waiting so patiently for me to complete my work so that they can review the latest chapter I update. I love all of you guys from the bottom of my heart, I swear! The following chapter is gonna be good stuff too, and same with all the ones afterward! I won't stop giving you guys quality writing, I promise!  
**

**~ Sky**


	14. Underhanded Flames

**Latheon Gorge**

**The Storyteller's House**

**Midday**

The travel had been hard on the group, but as they crested the hill of the gorge they were consumed with a sense of relief. The change of the gorge had made the journey difficult, but somehow in five days they had made their way through. Now at the top of the cliff they stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of ruin that waited to greet their eyes.

The lone house that had rested by the riverside had been burnt to the ground, with the innards strewn across the still-smoldering grass and dirt. The peaceful atmosphere of the storyteller's hideaway had been completely destroyed. The entire hilltop had been torched by fire, leaving no signs of anything living. Dead plantlife and wildlife littered the crest, but sitting amidst the ruin was a dark-cloaked figure that the group recognized.

Raine moved first as her instincts kicked into overdrive to help the possibly-wounded. The others followed swiftly behind her, and at the sound of their approach the ancient elf turned to see them. His eyes were narrowed into a painful squint as the swelling around his face prevented him from completely opening his eyes. He wore a headband of bloody bandages and other signs of scrapes and bruises marred his old body.

"Are you alright?" Colette questioned as she knelt beside the fragile figure, and she offered him her arm to help him stand from the ruins of his home. He took it after a moment of hesitation, and the angel led him quickly to a charred rock for him to sit on. He stared at the smoldering remains of his house, and Colette faltered as she repeated her question, "Are... Are you okay...?"

"They came like shadows following the sunset." The storyteller said quietly, bitterly, and a hint of a saddened smile curled his lips. His old eyes never left the smoking wood and stone, and he bowed his head in deep regret as he continued to recount the story to the stunned sixsome, "Demanding that I reveal to them where the Mana Leaf Herb was stored..."

Zelos and Raine traded a terse glance, and the Chosen knelt down to eye-level with the sitting elf, and his voice was cold as he asked, "Who did this to you?"

"Do not presume to be ignorant..." The storyteller chuckled tiredly, and he closed his eyes as he lifted a broken hand to his forehead. Blood from the wound was beginning to seep through the bandages, but he didn't seem to notice. A horrible sense of emptiness surrounded him, and he could only stare at a pile of ashes that used to be the beloved record of stories that had been woven into the sacred cloth. "The reason you come is the reason they burned my home to the ground. When I refused to tell them where the herb grew... they lashed out like children and set fire to everything within reach. Everything... is now gone. The sacred mana leaf cloth that I wove the tales into has been turned to ash... such a tragedy..."

"The Desians did this?" Raine bared her teeth in fury as she looked around at the site of ruin and chaos. Her blood was boiling in her veins as she took in the piles of ash where the ancient manuscripts must have been torched. The records were things of beauty and history, and the scholar in the half-elf was screaming with outrage. "They will pay for this..."

"Do not attempt to go after these men and women, my young half-elf." The storyteller looked up at the sound of her anger, and his eyes were weary with sadness but fierce with wisdom. He reached to place a hand on her arm and he shook it once in warning. His voice was cautioning but firm as he explained, "It is what they want. Fighting in anger will lead you to ruin. Remember well the story of Mithos the Fallen Hero, and curb your rage. Stories can be retold, and homes rebuilt. Lives cannot be relived."

Raine felt her husband's hand on her shoulder, and the soothing touch brought her logical mind back to the forefront. She carefully shifted her emotions back into a hidden box deep within her chest and took a deep and cleansing breath. Despite her desire to find and make this crazed group of terrorists pay for what had been happening for the last pain-filled weeks... She wouldn't let herself be blinded. "Yes... you are correct. However, I must ask you if you can possibly tell us what had happened in exact detail. The reasoning behind our seeking the Mana Leaf Herb is to save a very important comrade."

"I can see that the sickness is gone from you, young angel." The storyteller noted with a raised eyebrow as he nodded at the sheepish Colette. He fixed his shrewd eyes back on Raine and searched her face for a long moment before he made a decision. He shrank in on himself as the pain of his wounds began to flow again, but his voice never faltered as he continued, "Very well... It was only a handful of hours ago that my house was set upon by two score of half-elves. At the front stood a general, and he spoke for the horde as he demanded I hand over the location of the Mana Leaf Herb. I refused. It was then that the soldiers in his unit began to set fire to my home. He asked me twice more, and again and again I refused... It was then that his soldiers attacked me."

"You were lucky they didn't kill you." Zelos remarked quietly, and with a singularly raised eyebrow. He narrowed his eyes somewhat and then pushed himself down into a sitting position beside Colette. The others around him were doing likewise, as they were all in need of some rest and it seemed like the story would be a long one.

"The general in charge ordered his men to stop once I could no longer struggle against them." The storyteller answered with a quiet and rueful chuckle. He rubbed wearily at his aching limbs and stared down at his lap as he answered tiredly, "He was well aware that the location of the herb would die along with me if he killed me... but apparently he was unwilling to take me prisoner, which is why he left me behind. He appeared to have been under orders to keep me alive, but who was governing him he did not say."

"Do you remember anything about the general?" Regal questioned with a knitted brow. He leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees and cast a glance at the others gathered around him. "Perhaps his name?"

"Yes... His soldiers referred to him as General Auin... His olive eyes were dead and emotionless... and his dark hair was a ragged mat. For a moment, I believed him to be the walking dead." The storyteller stopped as he heard the startled inhales from Presea and Genis on his left. He turned to look at them and read the horror on their young faces to affirm his suspicions. He sighed and continued tiredly, "It appears that you have also had a run-in with this angel... Then you understand why I am cautioning you not to fall into the hands of him and his ilk."

"We don't have a choice but to follow the breadcrumbs now." Zelos shook his head and met Raine's furious gaze before turning his eyes to the determined stares of the rest of the group. Auin and Tasogare were the figures who loomed behind the fog that they were wading through, and nothing was going to stop them from getting to them.

Presea spoke up with a frown now, and her voice was sharp with emotion as she asked, "Did they perhaps say anything about their next destination?"

The storyteller wearily shook his head, and he sent a sharp gaze of his own over each of the faces before him. He could see boiling anger in the gazes of the half-elven woman and redheaded Chosen, and quiet fury in the eyes of the blue-haired president who wore an old convict uniform. A ragged determination set the youngest half-elf's jaw, while a weary worry clouded the blue eyes of the Chosen and axeman. The emotions were wild and rampant in the group before him, and he found himself cautioning them a second time. "I must warn you again... Do not go after these creatures. The have something dark and terrible ruling over their hearts and minds... It would be a quest of suicide for you to chase these villains."

"I know you speak out of worry for us... but we have no choice but to follow them." Colette's soft voice was layered with a formidable hint of steel, and she swept to her feet and faced the storyteller head on. Her chin was tilted just the tiniest bit upwards, and though her cerulean eyes held worry and fear for her comrades... There was no denying her courage to do the right thing. A gentle smile curved her pale lips and she murmured, "The person they hold is someone very dear to our companions. We can't turn away from that."

"No... I suppose you cannot." The storyteller nodded his head almost sadly, and then slowly creaked to his feet. He refused their aid to help him stand, and then turned his gaze to the place where his house once stood. A steely tinge came to his eyes, and he turned his back to them as he said, "You all know where the herb is stored... and I hope your quest proves itself fruitful. As for myself... I shall rebuild and rewrite the legends that must be passed down."

"We can send aid for you, Storyteller." Presea, too, stood as did her companions, and a worried frown knotted her brow at the look of firmness in the old one's face. She knew his stubbornness, but she hoped that he wouldn't refuse to allow the elves of Heimdall or others to help him rebuild what had been lost to him.

"I am grateful for your kind thoughts... and I will not refuse any aid that can be given to me." The storyteller let out a low chuckle and he knelt down to touch the burnt wood that his home had once been built of. He closed his eyes and retired to a sitting position in the middle of the ruins. After a beat of silence he said to the group, "I thank you for your kindness... and if you'll excuse me... I would prefer if you go on your way..."

"Understood." Raine nodded politely at him, and the others quickly followed suit in their shows of respect. He turned his attention back to his home and paid no more heed to them as they continued on their way to the cavern. By the time they had reached it an uncomfortable silence had fallen upon them and left them wondering what sort of challenge was to await them inside the cave.

They all remembered well the tedious battle with the guardian plant, and truth be told none were looking forward to a similar experience. They had been lucky to avoid combat thus far, but even the best optimism was beginning to wane. Their good luck couldn't possibly hold for so long, and they could only really hope that their opponent would bow easily to their skills.

At the mouth of the cavern it was Zelos who spoke first, and his eyes were annoyed slits as he looked into the darkness that would open up to reveal a tiny, almost peaceful looking garden. "So, I figure we can do this two ways. All of us go in and kill the crap out of that plant, _again_, or only a few of us go in, kill the plant, _again_, while the others get to sit it out and guard the main group from the rear."

"You really do know how to lighten the mood, Zelos." Genis commented sardonically, but he had to admit that the redheaded Chosen's options were rather sound. They weren't heading into the cavern blind, but leaving themselves open from an attack on the rear was a risk they couldn't take. He crossed his arms as he noted the agreeing expressions on the other's faces before he asked, "So, who should go in then?"

Zelos looked to Raine, and in unison all other eyes flickered to the professor. She looked to the expectant stares and felt a hint of a flush going up her neck as she realized they, with the exception of her husband, were all her students again and were waiting for her to take charge as their teacher. She swallowed her sudden anxiety and forced herself to recover her wits before snapping into her role and suggesting, "Magic users would most likely be the best to take up against the guardian, due to its weakness against fire. Zelos and Genis should head in, along with Regal, while I, Colette and Presea remain out here to guard the entrance. Does this sound satisfactory?"

"Leaving the guard without a spellcaster sounds a bit risky... but Colette and Presea can pretty much strongarm the hell out of anyone trying to mess with them." Zelos conceded Raine's point with a bit of a chuckle, and he absently unsheathed his sword to rest its blunt body against his right shoulder. He could see Genis fingering his kendama almost with anticipation, and his eyes flickered as he asked him seriously, "You sure you up for a battle, kid?"

Genis flinched with annoyance at the attention that the Chosen drew to his nearly healed chest wound, and he could see the worried glances that his sister, Presea and Colette sent his way when they thought he wasn't looking. Gritting his teeth with annoyance, the half-elven mage ground out, "I'm fine. Regal is here to help me out if anything goes wrong, and I'll stick to novice spells if that'll make you stop treating me like an invalid."

It was Presea's turn to wince, and she hastily turned her glance to the ground to avoid what she thought would be a scathing glare in her direction. She shifted her weight from side to side as she listened to Zelos cede his point to Genis, and by the time she managed to look up the trio had gone into the cavern. She let out a soft exhale before turning her eyes from the entrance and to the only path that led to the place.

Raine noted Presea's pained expression, but it was Colette that instantly did something about it. The angel skipped around Raine to Presea's side, and she gently lay a hand on her shoulder before asking sweetly and worriedly, "Presea, are you okay...? You don't look well at all."

The familiar feeling of butterflies in her stomach began to surface, and Presea was aware of a sharp warmth seeping into her face. She turned her gaze away from Colette's and instead back down to her feet as she struggled with the words she needed to answer the question. She wasn't entirely sure how to explain the multitude of emotions and worries that swirled so painfully inside of her chest, and finally she placed a hand over her heart and murmured, "My chest... hurts. I'm... concerned for Genis' well-being, but I worry that my concern is only aggravating him."

Colette was torn between a fond exasperation and genuine pleasure for Presea's words, and finally she shook her head before trading a glance with Raine. The blue-eyed professor was hiding a smile, and Colette felt a streak of mischief prompt her forward as she said, "I think the professor knows what to do. Professor Raine, can you help Presea out?"

"You have been consorting with Zelos far too often, Colette." Raine remarked with a little smirk, and she stretched her arm to deliver a gentle tap with her Crystal Rod to the top of Colette's head. However she returned Presea's curious and worried gaze to explain sheepishly, "I guess though that you don't understand much about the opposite sex yet to know what's happening. You see, Genis is a young man who is trying to grow up. He doesn't want to be treated like a child because he's desperate to be recognized as an adult. It's not that your worrying for him makes him angry... it's more that he wants you to worry but also doesn't at the same time."

"That... is confusing." Presea finally said, and she shook her head wearily from side to side as she conceded the fact that she likely was never going to understand. She ran her fingertips along the leather wrappings on her axe's handle and questioned, "Does this mean that I am not a hindrance to Genis?"

"Yes, it means that you aren't a hindrance." Raine confirmed with a little nod, and she couldn't help but grin when she saw the concern melt away from Presea's face. Years seemed to fade from the axeman's expression, and the professor reached out to gently place a hand on top of her head. "You worry too much, Presea. Genis is still growing, after all."

"Yes... He is growing." Presea agreed with a solemn nod, and a dull of pain made her chest ache. She remembered cruelly watching over him in Mizuho and in Meltokio, and her entire body gave a little shiver. He had indeed grown, to the point where it was almost painful for her to watch his progress. She gripped the handle of her axe thoughtfully, and leaned back against the rock wall as she thought of how much more time would pass before he had completely left her behind.

"You're growing too." Colette broke her from her thoughts with the words, and Presea could only stare incredulously at her. The angel smiled brightly from ear to ear and looked over at Raine before nodding thoughtfully to herself. She continued on with a single finger tapping thoughtfully against her cheek as she spoke, "Actually, I think that we're all growing. I mean, we've all changed so much since we started out in the beginning, and we're pretty different now in our own ways. Genis is taller now, but he's also a lot wiser. Professor is married, and she's also a lot more happy than she used to be too. Sheena's gotten more confident in almost every way, and Regal is much more relaxed and happy. Then there's Zelos who's really started to laugh more from his heart, and of course there's you, Presea."

Presea blinked once in confusion, then looked to see Raine smiling with fond pride at Colette's summation of their growth and success. She could understand the truths behind the others and their maturing, but she was slightly caught off guard by Colette's adding her to the list. She didn't feel as if she had changed too much from her life before the experiment that had robbed her of her childhood, and the doubt manifested itself as words now, "As pleased as I am to hear that, Colette... I'm unsure that it's true. I have not changed very much."

"No, Colette is right. You've changed substantially." Raine disagreed with a curt shake of her head, and this time when her Crystal Rod was extended it gave Presea a sharp tap on the head. The half-elven professor smiled fondly at her though as she did it, and she gave her weapon a twirl before setting it down and leaning on it like a cane as she lectured her, "Everyone can see the growth of those around them but tend to be blind to their own. I can assure you that you've grown as well as everyone else." She casually switched from scolding Presea to Colette and tapped her a second time with her rod in a playfully exasperated manner. "You shouldn't sell yourself short either, Colette. I've watched you grow as well over the journey, and even afterward. The both of you are slowly but surely entering adulthood, both physically and emotionally."

Presea opened her mouth to contest Raine's assertion about her puberty, then found herself unable to do so. She looked down at her body and then to Colette blushing and protesting her teacher's words with an embarrassed but flattered fervour. She clenched and unclenched her hands, watching the muscles ripple under her skin as they worked at the command of her brain. Her missed time still ached like a missing limb would years after its disappearance as a phantom pain, but she now could understand that she had many more years to make up for it in the future. However... 'I still am an adult in a child's body... yet Raine insists on calling me a child in the midst of puberty... I wonder why that is?'

She tuned back into the conversation of Raine's and Colette's just in time to hear the blond angel protest with a reddish hue colouring her creamy skin, "... doesn't make me grown, Professor! I'm not even close to being an adult!"

Much to Presea's bafflement, Raine actually nodded and gave a laugh of agreement to Colette's argument. The professor reached out to lovingly ruffle her student's golden hair before she explained with a smile, "Yes, I agree, but only to a point, Colette. In order to be called an adult, one must think about what it means to be one. What qualities must one have to be an adult? What things must we have done, or do, in order to be an adult? When you think about it that way, the meaning of adulthood can vary from person to person, can't it?"

"I... never thought about it like that." Colette tilted her head to the side in confusion, and she looked over to see Presea frowning in Raine's direction with a similar expression on her face. The angel pursed her lips as she allowed Raine's question to seep into her brain for a good few minutes before she began haltingly, "W-Well, to be a grown-up you have to... Um, you have to...Well, I think you..."

Raine chuckled affectionately at the rambling, and she gently prompted the flustered Chosen with an amused, "Tell me then why you think I'm an adult, Colette."

This one seemed to stump Colette even further, but Presea came to her rescue by stating her thoughts clearly and with a nod, "Your intelligence and maturity can only have come with time and age, Professor. Also your skill in magic can only be acquired through much practice and time."

"So, you believe that time, skills, maturity and intelligence equal adulthood? Then, I'd have to say that both of you have the sufficient qualities necessary to be an adult if that's the case." Raine remarked with a little chuckle, and her comment left both girls clearly confounded by her logic. The professor shook her head and then proceeded to ruffle both of their heads fondly before finishing, "I think it's best you don't dwell on it for too long, girls. Some things simply take experience to understand. I'm sure you'll come to your realizations sooner than later."

"If you say so, Professor..." Colette said with a bit of a frown, and she traded a look with Presea before making an idle shrug. The two took up their posts once more, only for noise to be heard from the inner cavern. The trio of women turned at once to see the others they had sent into the cave to come out with a tiny bag being held protectively in the hands of the smallest combatant.

"You retrieved it without any trouble?" Raine questioned at once when they came outside to reveal that not a single hair had gotten out of place on their heads during their absence. They all were a similar grim scowl however, and this thoroughly confused the trio. Raine stepped forward with a feeling of dread cooling her blood, and she whispered fearfully, "What happened in there?"

"The inside of the cavern has been scorched. From top to bottom, the entirety of the cavern was ravaged with fire. The guardian was little more than a charred husk when we arrived." Regal replied with a dark scowl, and he then nodded to Genis who slowly opened the satchel he held to reveal two tiny sprigs of Mana Leaf Herb. He continued as Genis handed the precious herb to his sister, "Somehow the guardian managed to protect those sprigs, but the rest of the plant is lost. Whoever set fire to the cavern was intent on destroying everything inside, and they nearly succeeded."

"This... won't be nearly enough..." Raine murmured as she weighed the feather-light sprigs in her hand, and her fingers trembled as they closed around the satchel. She froze when she heard the tiniest crinkling of the plant, and she slowly took in a deep breath before murmuring, "We can't possibly bring both sprigs to the exchange. Whatever they need the herb for... we can't allow it to go extinct if they intend on using it. At least one part of this plant must be put under protection to allow it to grow. However, this leads to the question of who tried to destroy it."

"The Desians were asking the storyteller about it, is it possible that they were rogues who want to usurp Tasogare?" Presea questioned with a furrowed brow. She was moving backwards mentally through her memories, trying to discern every possible nuance she could from the tiny conversation she had overheard between the two angels in Ozette. She hated having so little to go on, and even more so hated the fact that she'd been so blind with panic that she hadn't paid keen attention to them. "When she intervened in Ozette, Tasogare spoke clearly about Auin having to obey his orders or else he'd forfeit his life, and that she was more than willing to kill him if the need arose. It could be possible that the two have their own factions and are warring against each other."

"It may very well be that way..." Zelos agreed with a slight nod, but his blue eyes were shrewd and cool as he crossed his arms and set his gaze on the precious satchel that Raine was holding in her shaking hands. He shook his head and commented with a grunt, "We don't have enough to make any concrete assumptions, but at this point we can clearly say that this Tasogare isn't working like the others are. What side that puts her on is still sketchy," he turned to fix Presea with a stern and unforgiving stare as he finished, "regardless of her saving the brat. I know you feel indebted to her, hell, all of us do, but we can't forget that she's kidnapped the prof's mother."

Colette frowned a tiny bit at Zelos' cool words, and even more when Presea clearly seemed disturbed by it. She reached forward to clasp the axeman's hand in her own and spoke up to softly rebuke her counterpart's words. "You said it yourself though, Zelos. We don't have enough to go on yet to make a lot of assumptions on motives. Tasogare _is_ working differently, but whether or not she means to harm us can't be said yet." She paused for a moment, then turned to look directly at Raine with a strong steely glint in her eyes as she added on, "We don't know for sure if your mother is in danger yet, Professor, but one thing I do know is if that angel was willing to save Genis, I can't see why she'd injure your mother. I agree that keeping her hostage doesn't make her trustworthy, but we do have to give her some benefit of the doubt if she saved Genis, don't we?"

Regal couldn't help but smile at Colette's optimism, especially when she peppered it with logic and her own compassion. The simplicity that had left her trusting everyone with a single-minded openness had morphed into something a little bit stronger and more mature, but it still remained at the core. She had a strong and open love for the world around her, and while she had been jaded by the long adventure of the reunification... she still was determined to remain the smiling and loving Chosen she had been back then. He could tell from Raine's grudging smile that his wife was both pleased and annoyed with this change, while Zelos looked irked by it, but in a strangely exasperated way. This led the president to smoothly cut in before anyone else could begin a possible argument, "I suggest that we discuss this at a later date. Because we've accomplished more than we hoped in a short period of time, I believe we should travel to Flanoir to meet up with Sheena and the Renegades in order to discuss strategy before the exchange in two days time?"

"That sounds like a good idea." Raine agreed with a little smile, though she did glance down at the herb that was nestled ever so snugly in her hands. Her smile faded as she wondered what would be the best thing to do with the plant before finally settling on a single idea. She turned to Genis who seemed to read her mind before nodding in affirmation, and she piped up at the others began to search their packs for their wing-packs, "We should stop off in Heimdall on the way, as I believe this sprig will need a new home."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

**Flanoir**

**The Seal of Ice**

**Late Night**

"I call upon the disciple of everlasting ice... I summon thee, come, Celsius!" Sheena felt the icy mana well up in her veins, and she grit her teeth as it exploded out through the summoning card that was standing straight in her right hand. She watched through narrowed eyes as the Summon Spirit appeared before her, and she quickly pulled out the second card that she would need to break the seal. She began chanting as she focussed on the polar opposite mana of fire that she would need to call forth.

"I call upon the red giant, the ruler of hellfire... I summon thee, come, Efreet!" The hot mana poured through her blood and effectively vanquished the frozen chill that Celsius' summoning had brought into her. The burn roared and she watched as Efreet took form before her beside Celsius. The two Summon Spirits barely glanced at each other, and Sheena took in a deep breath as the pull on her mana store sent a wave of dizziness through her.

The two Spirits eyed her with an almost bored air, and if she had more energy she would have made a comment at them but as it was she was too tired. She took in a second deep breath and folded her arms across her chest as she slid her cards into the pouches of her sleeves. Her voice was firm despite her weariness as she commanded them, "I need the both of you to dissolve the barrier at this seal."

Efreet turned his back at once and extended his flaming hands towards the barrier that he and Celsius had constructed. Within an instant a well of flame soared from the void and into the Summon Spirit of Fire, and Efreet seemed to grow larger he absorbed it. No ember was missed and it soared into his extended hands, and when only a plume of smoke remained he nodded deeply to Sheena before collapsing in on himself in a flash of red sparks.

"_Showoff_." Celsius muttered under her breath, and her annoyance was almost tangible as she raised her left hand to the remaining half of the barrier. Flakes of snow and ice flew from out of nowhere and danced around her open palm before sinking into her pale blue skin as blue sparks. A shiver passed through the air and then disappeared into Celsius' waiting hand, and she then turned to look at Sheena and spoke with a growl, "_Finished_."

"Thank you." Sheena smiled in gratitude and watched as Celsius nodded before likewise vanishing like her Sylvaranti counterpart had before her. Sheena let out a little breath before closing her hand and turning back towards the waiting soldiers who were led by Yuan. She nodded to the angel and stepped back.

Five of the score of men moved to empty the cache of glittering Exspheres, and Sheena moved back towards the wall to catch her breath without getting in the way. As she began to regulate her breathing and slow her heartbeat she glanced down to the diamond ring that sparkled faintly on her left hand. On her right the sardonyx twinkled even more faintly, and she frowned as she examined them tiredly.

After the reunification of the world Sheena had handed one of the ten precious gems she had received to the seven members of the team as both a memento and a good-luck charm before she and Lloyd left to journey across the continent. She remembered meeting each one of her friends with a sheepish smile and handing the gemstones to them with a quiet 'thank you' and 'good luck'. The remaining few she carried with her wherever she went, though she didn't wear them. She had been surprised to find them with her when she had been released from the Desian stronghold, but she'd thanked the goddesses and gods above her that most of the rings had found a new home with her treasured friends.

As she stared at the perfectly clear diamond that rested on her left hand she could remember clearly all but shoving the ring into Lloyd's protesting hands. He'd been confused by her offer but after she all but refused to speak to him about her reasoning he had given in and worn it to placate her. The glittering jewel sat nestled beside the Ring of the Pact that enabled him to wield the Eternal Sword, and he'd promised with a joyful grin that he'd never take it off.

She knew the stone well, and she couldn't mistake it for another of the jewels that many of the nobles loved to wear. The ring on her hand was indeed the same one that she had given Lloyd, and she reached out to run a finger delicately over the shining silver band. She had woken to it lying beside her on the pillow, with only the faintest stirring of a dream of a hesitant touch and a whisper of her name.

Though Sheena knew it was a foolish thought she couldn't help but wonder if Lloyd had come to see her and give her the jewel. He never broke a promise once he made it, and for him to take off her gift meant dire things. As she held the ring close to her chest she forced herself to remember that her enemies could very well have left it with her as a message to stay away. What irked her the most was that she just couldn't tell which theory was correct and which was false.

The ninja was distracted from her musings as Yuan barked out a crisp order to his men as they finished raiding the storage of Exspheres. He looked over his shoulder at her and she stood up a little straighter as he questioned brusquely, "There were one hundred and fifty Exspheres stored here, yes?"

"Yes. Are they all accounted for?" Sheena asked with a raised eyebrow, and she realized what a foolish question that was when Yuan cocked an eyebrow at her. She laughed tiredly and shook her head before waving off his answer, "They all are, I'm sure."

"Yes, all one-fifty are there." Yuan confirmed with a nod, and he crossed his arms underneath his cloak as a cool wind blew through the cavern. Sheena shivered at the cool temperature, and he placed a hand on her shoulder to steer her towards the exit. His voice had lost its hard edge and he almost sounded kind as he instructed her, "Return to the base and get some rest. When we arrive we'll begin the trek to Hima and start to set up the ambush."

"Are you sure?" Sheena asked the question before she could think about it, and again she sighed as she knew he wasn't the type to say anything he didn't mean. She held a hand up to stop him from saying something that would dent her pride, and laughed with soft exasperation as she turned towards the exit, "I get it, I get it. I'm tired, and I'm going. I'll meet you at the base."

She heard the man snort behind her, and she shook her head in annoyance as she began the trek out of the cavern. The icy temperature bit at her bared skin, and she hastily pulled the sleeves of her kimono closer to prevent frostbite. She rubbed her arms hastily as she carefully stepped along the icy path towards the cavern's entrance.

The monsters that had once crowded the chilling seal were gone, but she'd been surprised to find that only a spare few had been cleared out by the Renegades. As she had noticed many of the beasts and demons of the world had become scarce, and there was no answer to the strange anomaly. Genis had theorized that the mana fluctuations had driven away the monsters from their homes, but where they had gone from there was a mystery that no one had yet to solve.

Still, Sheena didn't really care about the theories and musings of the professors and researchers. She was just glad that there were less battles for her to fight in order to get to her next destination. She felt her boots giving way underneath the ice and she hastily held her arms out to regain her balance. The sudden movement caused her to slip even further and with a loud oath she hit the ice bottom first.

"Ughn!" Sheena slammed an open fist on the cursed slippery surface before forcing herself to her feet again. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that she would be meeting the ground several more times before she managed to get out. As she gazed towards the mouth of the cave she muttered several more curses against Celsius for forcing her to venture to the place. "I _hate_ the cold...!"

Thankfully the adventure out of the cave was tame, and once she finally reached the frozen wasteland that would eventually give way to Flanoir's more calm borders, the snowstorm outside had begun to settle. Sheena paused at the cave's exit to stare wistfully at the barren landscape of snow and ice, and she felt the familiar prickle of heartache beginning to surface in her chest. She shook her head rapidly from side to side to banish the thoughts, and she reached into her kimono to find her wing pack.

Her hand was just closing around the small box when a roar from overhead made her look up in surprise. A fleet of Rheairds flew above her head, and instinctively the ninja took a step back as they tilted down into a steep dive. She raised her eyebrows as one of the machines took a steeper dive than the others, and she had a feeling that she knew exactly who was piloting that particular craft.

Moments later her suspicions were affirmed as the dark violet Rheaird touched down in the snow only a handful of feet away from the cavern. The large machine purred before finally silencing altogether, and its pilot leapt from the seat before calling happily, "Sheena!"

"Colette." Sheena breathed a sigh of fond exasperation, but her smile was warm and impossible to deny as she jogged towards her friend. Slightly behind Colette's rheairds the others were beginning to touch down in unison, and by the time she had made it to Colette's side the others were disembarking and folding the machines in their respective wing packs. She waved a hand to greet them but was caught unawares when the angel threw herself unceremoniously at her in a hug and knocked them both clean into a snowbank.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" Colette breathed with relief as she wrapped her arms tightly around Sheena's middle and squeezed. Her worry for her friend had made it nearly impossible to contain herself during their flight, and only Zelos' firm assurance had kept her from remaining with Sheena in the first place. She pulled away as quickly as she had attached herself and exclaimed with the closest thing to a frown she could muster, "I was worried sick about you! Next time if we split up, you're not allowed to go out on your own ever again! It's too much to worry about! I couldn't even sleep!"

Sheena smiled sheepishly at her best friend's worried and scolding tone, and she reached to pull the angel back into a firm embrace. The pain in her chest had been replaced with a comforting warmth, and she squeezed Colette around the shoulders before murmuring, "You got it, Colette. Next time... we stay together."

"Do I get a hug too?" Zelos asked with a wicked smile as he settled his hands on his hips and watched as the two girls broke apart from each other with a blush playing on their cheeks. Colette refused to look at him while Sheena rolled her eyes and picked herself up before helping the angel to her feet. The redheaded Chosen pulled a face at the ninja's scowl and repeated in a wheedling manner, "Why can I get a hug? Didn't you miss and worry about _me_, my voluptuous hunny?"

"Not that much, Zelos." Sheena retorted, but even she couldn't put any venom in the answer. She could see deep in the Chosen's eyes that he was just as relieved as Colette was, and she appreciated his attempt to show it. She looked around at her surrounding friends and her smile faded as she noted the tight expression that clouded Raine's normally alert and warm eyes. She asked a single question, and feared for her answer as she did so, "What happened? Did you find what you needed?"

"Yes... but no." Raine answered with a shake of her head, and she glanced over to the cave's entrance to see the Renegades, with Yuan leading the pack. Her eyes took on a steely tinge, and her hands curled into tight fists as she continued, "I'm afraid that we're going to need to discuss a change of plans with the Renegades. We don't have enough of the Mana Leaf Herb to bargain with, but perhaps we can arrange a different deal once we arrive in Hima..." She paused as the angel in charge of the Renegade forces came to investigate the gathering outside of the cave, and she greeted him with a nod before informing him quickly of what had taken place at the Storyteller's home.

Yuan listened to her report with a darkening frown, and he closed his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. His mind was quickly spinning and going through the remaining options he had, and long after the professor had finished detailing their failed excursion he opened his eyes. A strange tint had given the light colour a dangerous edge, and he said with a low grunt, "It seems that our little friends are more reckless than we had given them credit for. To destroy the Mana Leaf Herb... Cruxis would never have gone so far, even if it did mean being able to sweep all of you outright in the process. At least now we can understand that these particular Desians aren't motivated as Cruxis was."

"There would be no point in trying to resurrect Martel now." Colette murmured with a sad frown on her face, and she wrapped her arms around herself as her body gave an involuntary shiver. Even two years after the possession of the half-elf's consciousness she couldn't escape the dreams and memories. She couldn't help but feel like she had lost a great friend and mentor, and the pain bit through her as she continued in a whisper, "She's the guardian of the Tree. What could they possibly want after Mithos was exposed and defeated? Revenge?"

"Revenge is a possibility, but this is certainly a roundabout way of trying to get it." Regal noted with a raised eyebrow, and he glanced over at Presea who was staring at her feet with a frown on her face. Genis was scowling at something unseeable in the distance while Zelos was merely shaking his head and tapping his foot as the conversation continued. "You'd think if they had the power to dispose of us, they would've done so."

"For some reason or another, they demanded Mana Leaf Herb, and somehow it was all but destroyed before you could manage to get to it. That isn't a coincidence, but it certainly does raise some confusion." Yuan shrugged absently, but his mind was still racing to try and put the pieces of the puzzle together. He knew it would be an impossible feat since not all of the pieces had been retrieved, and so he sighed before muttering, "I'm not used to being locked out of the loop. This is very frustrating. However, it does tell us a few things about our enemies. They aren't the same Desians that you faced two years ago. They are much more militant and intelligent than they used to be... and the infighting seems to be worse than with the Grand Cardinals."

"So, you believe that they are factions trying to destroy the others as well?" Raine questioned with a raised eyebrow and the faintest hint of a smile. The angel's intelligence made him a great asset, as did his previous experience working for both Cruxis and the Renegades. "Well, I'd say it was a comfort but rather, it's growing tiresome. It also puts Mother in a perilous position if one side is combatting with the other."

"Yes, it would..."

"We're going to need a bigger force then, Yuan. A handful of men won't be enough." Raine concluded with a tired sigh, and she glanced over at her comrades that sadly were sharing a similar grim expression as she. She crossed her arms over her middle and held a hand tight on her staff before continuing, "You know this as well as we do that if we are meant to walk into Hima where the other faction will be trying to launch an attack... It will not be possible to defend ourselves with such a small fighting force at our sides. We'll need more men to help us."

"I figured you would ask that, and I am willing to loan you a few more soldiers..."

"I sense a but in there, and I really don't like 'but's." Zelos remarked with a poisonous edge to his voice, and he tapped his foot with more speed and strength as his hand began to play a silent melody along the hilt of his sword. Her eyes were narrowed as he pointed out to Yuan, "You're not in a good boat to really refuse and back away into the shadows, Yuan. If these little SOBs are coming after us because of revenge, do you think you're gonna escape unharmed? You played a good role in usurping Yggdrasil and screwing up his plans just like us. You're in our boat, pal."

"That I understand, and I'd advise you to check your tone with me, you impudent child." Yuan answered without a hint of amusement colouring his suddenly dark tone. The angel narrowed his eyes and his arms folded even more tightly around his chest as he shot back to the obviously annoyed Chosen, "Do you think I am not aware of the danger that I and my men are in? I will aid you to the best of my ability, but you must remember that there are more important things than _you_ that I am inclined to protect. There are things that the world can afford to lose, and things that it can't."

Raine cut in sharply before Zelos escalated the argument, and her voice held a pure no-nonsense tone as she warned them, "This is not the time or place to have this discussion, and to be frank, we have other things to worry about! Leave this conversation for another day!"

"Professor Raine is right. Right now we have more pressing concerns." Presea agreed, and she noted the grateful look that the professor sent her way for moving to her defence. She felt her lips curling just the tiniest bit at that expression, but she fought it down and asked, "Are we still operating under the plan we have outlined already then? But only with more men?"

"I prefer that approach personally." Sheena piped up, and she noted Regal's annoyed frown with a hint of sympathy. While she wasn't all that thrilled with Raine's insistence on going into the trade alone, but she could see the benefits of taking only a tiny escort with her for appearance's sake while the others hid in the shadows. She understood the need for covertness as Raine did, and it was one of the few things that allowed me to agree with the professor in the first place. "We can just rearrange positioning. Yuan agreed to come personally too, so it might be a good idea to place him in the frontline force."

"Yuan, Zelos, Regal and myself would likely suitable for protection, of course with Colette, Genis, Presea and yourself being right out of range to enter if things go bad." Raine nodded thoughtfully, and then turned to see Yuan nodding his head in agreement. She had to admit to feeling much more comfortable knowing that the leader of the Renegades was coming himself to aid them. He was a strong ally that she was grateful to have, especially when his inner knowledge of the Desians was brought into play.

Her thoughts were scattered when a frozen wind whipped by them, and she gave a shiver as she curled her arms tightly about herself. The others reacted in a similar vein, and a guilty smile crossed her lips before she suggested, "Perhaps it would be best if we continue this elsewhere? I think we all could use a hot drink and a warm atmosphere. All in favour?"

"Uh-huh."

"Yes, please."

"I thought you'd never ask."

**AN:**

**This chapter marks the closing of the Mystery Arc, and the beginning of the Answer Arc, where answers will be given to the questions that the previous thirteen chapters presented the readers with. At the end of the Answer Arc, a third arc will begin, which is the Resolution Arc, and what's going to happen then is a secret. Anyway, so here are the main questions which are going to be answered in the following chapters, so keep your eyes peeled for hints and remember the foreshadowing the last few chapters have presented you! **

**Tasogare's intentions will be revealed in this arc. This includes her mysterious ailment, her reasoning behind kidnapping Virginia, saving Sheena, and keeping Lloyd under her thumb. Auin's behaviour will also be explained this arc. His and Tasogare's relationship will be uncovered, along with their animosity. How Sheena made it all the way to Meltokio will also be answered. Yggdrasil's goals are going to be brought to light, and the ways he's going to go about reaching them will also be explained in full. Lastly, Raine's inability to use her mana will be touched upon and highlighted, and these questions will not be answered in any particular order!**

**To celebrate reaching over 100 pages, (which I crossed at the beginning of this chapter), I'd also like to have a little fun by awarding the characters some titles. I've always wanted to do that, lol, so excuse me while I have a bit of a fun with this, okay...? And yes, I realize I'm being really dumb, but an authoress needs to have her laughs. Don't take these seriously, I'm really just having a bit of fun.**

**Zelos received the title of Revenge Knight! ****One by one he destroys the enemies who have dared to harm his loved ones.**

**Raine received the title of Amnesiac!**** A cloudy mind prevents her from fulfilling her duties. What is blocking her?**

**Presea received the title of Guardian!**** A firm hand and cold eyes dare her foes to touch those she's sworn to protect.**

**Sheena received the title of Determinator!**** Nothing will stop her from reaching her goals, absolutely nothing.**

**Regal received the title of Husband!**** A quiet and loving smile; he is the perfect man to wed.**

**Genis received the title of Fallen Mage!**** Get knocked down only to return to your feet. Let nothing keep you down!**

**Colette received the title of Steady Hand!**** The title for one who helps guide her friends to victory when all else seems lost.**

**Lloyd received the title of Like Father, Like Son!**** Walking the path of his father, the son has earned this title.**

**Tasogare received the title of Puppetmaster!**** She holds what appears to be all the strings, but who is holding hers?**

**Auin received the title of Bloodlust!**** He lives to cause pain and misery, as if it is his only goal in life.**

**Virginia received the title of Wandering Healer! ****She is healing one day, but is always gone by the next.**

**Skywolf666 received the title of Lazy Creator!**** Just because I have the ability doesn't mean I have the required drive!**

**PS: Seriously, take these with cellars of salt. Many cellars.**

**~ Sky**


	15. Painful Negotiations

**Hima Mountain Range**

**Two Days Later**

The little area that Raine walked into was still, almost tranquil. The professor held her head high and had her staff at the ready as she approached the cave where she had been told to wait outside. Turning her head slightly allowed her a glimpse of the sparse collection of trees that peppered the mountainous region where they had entered, and she knew that up in the cliffs and just out of sight her allies were lying in wait. What truly worried her however were the enemies she could sense also hidden amongst the trees and rocks, and she shuddered to imagine them meeting. A battle would most likely break out amongst the two sides, and she hated to think of how utterly useless she would be in such a place.

Her healing abilities had left her, as had all of her offensive techniques. She had surmised that the pathways her mana travelled down had closed due to the psychological trauma of escaping the fire. She was little more than a staff-wielding half-elf, and she felt rather vulnerable especially now.

Still, none of that showed as she halted in the middle of the tiny clearing. The path up the mountain was behind her, and the cave before her, and her hand gripped the handle of her staff just a little tighter. She could sense angelic and elvish mana within the cave, but she didn't approach it. Instead she reached into her pocket to fetch the bag that contained the sprig of Mana Leaf Herb that was to be exchanged for her mother.

The moment she handled the bag in her palm she spotted movement from the innards of the cave, and her eyes narrowed as she forced herself to hold her ground. The falling sun from behind her cast long shadows that managed to hide the figures moving inside, but as they wandered out into the light her breath caught in her chest.

Two figures left the cave and moved outside, with one female leading and another lagging behind. Raine sucked in a sharp breath as she recognized the first, and she fought to control the pain that washed through her at the sight of her mother. Virginia Sage stood with her hands bound before her, and in a ragged cloak that looked as if it had seen too many years. Holes and dust coated it, but the elf wore it with what looked like a sense of determined pride. The hood lay useless about her shoulders, catching strands of her long silver-blue hair in its starchy cloth.

Raine let out that breath she'd been holding as she carefully eyed her mother from top to bottom to gauge her health. Much to her shock not a single injury marred her mother's complexion. In fact, she almost looked healthier than she had when they'd met in Exire. The thought was a painful one, but the professor kept her expression perfectly clean as she forced her attention from her mother to the woman behind her.

A sense of dread and anger filled her as she noted the honey-brown eyes that she'd been warned of from both her companions and the Desian sympathizers. The aura of deadly intent was almost tangible as the angel placed a seemingly innocuous hand on Virginia's shoulder, but those cold eyes never left Raine's face. The physical features Raine had memorized were exactly as she had been told, and she knew without a doubt that the angel she'd been warned about could and would live up to her reputation.

A stifled sob brought Raine's emotions slamming back into the forefront of her mind, and she snapped her gaze to her mother. The elf was holding her bound hands to her mouth and was trembling horribly as her eyes filled to the brim with tears. Raine swallowed back the painful lump that had grown in her throat, and she fought back every instinct that begged her to rip away the bonds and embrace her tight.

"_You're the one that's wrong! How could you... How could you...?"_

The agonizing reminder of what had nearly killed her in Exire brought her logic back, and again her face refused to flicker. She moved her gaze, with much effort, from Virginia's tearful gaze to the one of the hostage-taker. The angel met her stare, and with an exaggerated slowness opened her cloak to reveal the hilt of a battle-worn sword that was strapped to her waist. The movement was not unnoticed, and Raine touched the sharpened edge of her staff to the ground in an answer before breaking the nearly tangible silence with a curt, "So, you must be the infamous Tasogare."

"Correct." Tasogare answered with a cool smoothness, and her lips pulled back just the slightest bit to reveal a rather grim smile. Her left hand curled into a fist by her sword's hilt, but her skin never touched it while her right applied a tiny bit of pressure to Virginia's shoulder. Her eyes flickered from Raine's face to the bag in her hand, and the smile thinned as she added on, "I act under the assumption that you would prefer to end this quickly and painlessly?"

"Correct." Raine mimicked the one-word answer, but there was no hint of mockery there. The professor had learned to respect her opponent when she had learned the lengths the angel had went to manipulate her emotionally instead of logically. Her enemy had easily gotten under her skin in a way few ever had, and to disregard such an enemy would surely bring about her downfall. With her eyes cold she tossed the bag she was holding towards the angel and moved her now-empty hand to clench about her staff's body.

Tasogare's hand flicked into the air to snatch the bag by its neck so not to damage the precious herb that lay inside of it. She brought it to her chest, while keeping a firm hand on Virginia's shoulder, and carefully pried it open. She took a glance inside and noted the single tiny sprig, but she said nothing of it after she pulled it closed with her teeth. She hung the back delicately over her sword's hilt and then said quietly, "Perfect. Then, as promised..."

Her hand gave Virginia a swift shove forward, and the elf stumbled as the force caught her unawares. There was a sudden moment as the elf turned to look back at her had-been captor, and Raine felt a jolt of uncertainty as the two pairs of eyes met. Then the moment was gone, and Virginia scrambled across the distance to join her daughter at the other end of the unmarked divide.

Raine easily sidestepped around her shaking mother, and she was as careful to move her body in front of the shaking woman as she was not to let themselves touch. She needed all of her rationality still, and couldn't fathom what would happen if she finally felt the physical connection of her mother's safety. She edged a bit backwards, and was thankful when Virginia followed her movements without prompting.

Tasogare's eyes lightened just a hint with amusement, and she took a step back of her own as she noted Raine's hesitancy. The half-elf was debating on fleeing outright, but knew she wasn't out of danger yet. Tasogare touched the satchel that held the Mana Leaf Herb and spoke in what could've been a mocking voice, "Is there more you wish to discuss? I'm afraid that I've run out of hostages for trades. There's nothing else of value that you have either, so we may be at a crossroads."

Refusing to be baited, Raine nudged her mother forward with a brusque hand, but she refused to turn her back entirely on the angel. Her voice was rough and angry as they began to make their retreat towards the waiting hands of her allies, "This isn't over yet, Tasogare. You have many things to answer for, and we won't sit back and wait."

"I hope for that, Sage." Tasogare called as they moved back into the protective shroud of the cliffs and trees, "I truly do."

Raine didn't stop moving until the clearing had vanished from behind her, but she didn't allow her mother to lag behind either. She kept her well in front of her, with her hand clenching her staff and wielding it at an angle just in case someone decided to follow. The mother and daughter traded no words and didn't stop until they had reached the exit of the tiny waste of a forest. There her allies lay in wait, and she heard Yuan, Regal and Zelos leaving the forest behind her as per their plan.

The campsite's fires flickered in the darkness a mile or so ahead, and the trio of men caught up with the two as Raine found her feet failing to move her forward. The professor let out a tired breath and hung her head down to avoid the gazes she could feel being focussed on her. She ignored them and turned to Yuan before requesting in a near silent whisper, "Take her to the camp... I... need a moment or two before I regroup. Tell Genis I'll be there in ten minutes or so, please."

"As you wish." Yuan said quietly, and he traded a glance with Regal before nodding to Zelos. The redhead needed no words and began his sprint back to the camp without an order. The angel looked to Virginia who was staring longingly after Raine, who was already retreating to the wood's edge with Regal. He coughed quietly to capture her attention, and then said in a polite tone, "The camp is only a few more minutes ahead. Do you feel up to walking, Mrs Sage?"

Virginia took in a deep and pained breath as she forced her gaze from Raine's back and instead to the calm azure of the angel she guessed to be in charge of the forces ahead. He was watching her with a detached sort of concern that she knew to be born of his allegiance to her daughter, and she questioned softly, hesitantly to him, "Is my... Is... Genis at that camp?"

"I would assume so. He will be waiting to see you, and Raine." Yuan confirmed, and he noted the way she cringed, in both pain and anticipation at his words. He only knew the barest facts about the elf woman before him, but he could see from the way she held herself that she loved her children dearly even if the feelings weren't exactly returned. He coughed a second time, and motioned for her to extend her bound hands to him so he could cut the ropes. She obeyed immediately and his dagger spun out of his cloak, slashed through the ropes, and returned to its place on his belt. They slowly began the trek towards the campsite, and he asked automatically as he noticed her holding her stomach, "Have you been injured during your captivity? Shall I send for a healer?"

"No... I'm fine. Physically." Virginia replied with a strained sort of chuckle, but she didn't release her iron-clad hold on herself. She knew she was trembling horribly from the experience, and the fact that she was getting closer and closer to her son only made her all the more fearful. Raine's reaction to her, while completely necessary, didn't lessen the hurt in her chest but she knew well to quell it. She had done too much wrong to her daughter to expect a warm welcome, and she could imagine the same from her son when seeing him next.

She was thankful that the angel said no more to her, even if it was because he simply did not care. She could see he was a soldier, and likely had much more important matters to attend to than watching over her. Still, when they reached the camp and he led her to the tent that had been assembled for her, she whispered a quiet, "Thank you very much for this... I am grateful."

"I owed your daughter and son a debt, and have repaid it. Nothing more and nothing less."

She watched him leave, and felt a tiny twinge in her heart as he disappeared into the crowd of soldiers who were milling about the campsite. She stood by the opening to the tent and found herself unable to venture inside even though her body ached for rest. Her heart was pounding much too loudly, and she doubted that the adrenaline would allow her to sleep for at least a handful of hours.

She was debating on what to do when she heard a startled whisper from the left, and she turned as her heart caught tight in her throat at the voice that brought back a memory she desperately had wanted to redo.

"Mother...?"

Genis stood completely still as he took in the sight of the woman standing at the tent he'd expected to be empty for at least another hour or so. Curiosity, worry and a mix of guilt and nostalgia had kept him returning again and again to the tent that had been set up for her, but he was unsure of what to do now that she was there.

He contrasted the look of her with the memory he'd held tight to his chest from Exire. No longer did a cloudy veil shadow her eyes, and he took note that the same strong intelligence that Raine had in hers was a mirror image of Virginia's. She'd seemed to have lost a bit of weight since then and seemed more travel-weary, but her skin was clean and her hair washed and smooth. It curled around her face in a strangely warm way, and he found his heart crying out as he imagined his elder sister sporting a similar haircut if only she would grow hers long.

He could see the resemblance between his mother and sister, and when he closed his eyes he could find a fragment of a memory of that face hovering above his with a tender smile. Now her expression was a picture of hesitancy and pain, of a child waiting to be punished because they had been caught breaking the rules. The much older woman shrank away from him, her hands clutched to her chest as if to protect herself... or stop herself from embracing him.

The image hurt in a way he hadn't felt before, and the mage blinked away the sudden influx of tears that burned in his eyes. She was his mother, and she remembered him. He knew it as instinctively as he knew the spells he had spent all of his life trying to master. In his head he heard the words she'd written in her diary, the diary that he knew his sister kept in her bag at all times, and felt the pain and betrayal of his past wounds slowly fading away.

His voice broke as he tried for a second time to speak to her, and a little squeak escaped him instead of the words he wanted to use. He grunted with annoyance and shook his head angrily from side to side before clenching his fists at his side and lifting his chin. He met her tear-filled gaze and tried again, and this time the words left him properly. "Hello... Mother."

Virginia closed her eyes and let out a tiny groan as years of pain, sadness and guilt crashed into her all at once. Her legs gave out under the stress and she collapsed to her knees as her hands flew up to catch the tears that streamed without effort down her face. A dismayed sob choked in her throat as she shook her head from side to side with frustration.

"M-Mother?" Genis gasped and raced to her side instinctively, and he knelt down beside her as she sobbed into her hands. She was shaking and crying, and Genis found his body moving without command. He wrapped his arms as best he could around her trembling shoulders and held her close to him as he whispered, "It's okay, Mother... You're back. You're safe. It's okay..."

The words meant to comfort her only the dug the knife in deeper, but Virginia didn't allow the pain to control her. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing, but she forced herself to drop her hands and smile tumultuously into the face of her concerned son. She wiped at her eyes and whispered as she lay a hand gently on his cheek, "It's far from okay... but thank you... for trying so hard for me. You have to hate me for what I've done to you. Please... don't force yourself to be concerned."

"I'm not forcing myself." Genis shook his head angrily, and he clasped his hand tightly around her wrist before she could draw her hand away from him. He set his jaw and allowed his instinctive need to protect this fragile woman spur him on as he countered her words with his own, "I understand. I know that you loved us, and didn't abandon us because we were half-elves. I don't hate you."

He knew he'd surprised her at his words, and truthfully, the mage had surprised himself. He hadn't known what he felt towards the elf, even when he'd read over her diary and faced his inner darkness and accepted that weakness. All he had known was that his mother hadn't left him and Raine out of spite, and that she hadn't been right when they'd met by fate's chance in Exire. He had admitted that Raine had been his mother more than this sister many times in their lives... but his mother was with him now. She wasn't in Exire with her mind sealed shut, and nor was she desperate to save him and Raine from the knights of the papacy. She was here and lucid, and clearly in pain. All he knew was that some foreign part of him understood, and wanted her to be with him now.

Genis closed his eyes for the longest time, and he drank in the facts that his mind had presented him with. The scars of his heart had yet to fade, and he doubted they ever would, but he could soothe the pain with the facts he had before him. When he opened them he saw her staring at him with a mix of apprehension, and the tiniest bit of hope, and he knew he would do whatever it took to make her feel safe.

It took a little convincing, but he managed to help her to her feet and guide her to the outskirts of the camp so they could speak in private. He started up a little campfire and fetched them both a bowl of stew to eat as they spoke. She was hesitant to sit by him, but Genis was stubborn and refused to let her leave his side as they ate. By the time their bowls were empty neither had really begun, and so he took it upon himself to start whether or not she was willing.

He started off on what hopefully would be an easier topic for them both, and questioned, "What happened when you left Exire?"

Virginia closed her eyes and let out a breath as the memories of her feverish flight from the city of half-elves slammed into her with a vengeance. Seeing her children in her state of insanity had both scared her and triggered something inside of her mind, and so she'd fled without thinking of where to go. She explained quietly to him as she felt the fire's warmth chasing away her coldness, "I began running again. I don't remember where I went, or how far I travelled... but I came to the gateway where I had sent you and Raine through. I stayed there for days... and piece by piece my memory began to return. By then the worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla had become one again... and I decided I would try to find you."

"You were searching for us?"

Heat suffused Virginia's cheeks at his shocked question, and she fiddled awkwardly with her spoon to give her an excuse not to look her son in the eye. She had told Tasogare the same thing, and yet she hadn't felt even a quarter of such embarrassment. She wondered if it was because her son had grown from the baby she remembered so clearly cradling in her arms, or the fact that he'd told her outright that he didn't hate her like she had been so afraid of. She nodded her head and murmured quietly, "I was. I don't remember much of the journey, and even if I did I doubt there would be much to tell. Most of what I do remember is of piecing back the past. Retrieving the memories I had blocked out when I was in Exire. I only knew that I had to find you... I had to apologize for what I had done to you... to make amends. When Lady Tasogare said she was a comrade of yours, I thought maybe I had finally gotten my chance to see you and your sister again."

Genis felt his stomach contract painfully, and he closed his eyes as he fought a surge of confused nausea. He didn't dare open them again as he questioned in what he hoped was a controlled voice, "So she took you hostage then in Luin?"

"Yes." Virginia let out a tired breath and felt a beat of pain in her chest. The angel had treated her as if she was nothing more than another life-form deserving of respect, and though she knew she'd been used... She couldn't help but be thankful that she'd met her. "She treated me well, despite having lied to me. She only had to threaten me once to make my comply, but she never maltreated me. I wanted too badly to see you again that I never would've made a fuss regardless of threats."

"I'm glad that she didn't hurt you. When I found out she'd taken you hostage..." Genis swallowed back the bitter words he wanted to say, and instead found himself leaning into his mother's shoulder gratefully. She stiffened at his touch, but he couldn't draw away as he took in a comfort he'd only known from Raine. "I was scared I'd never see you again. After reading your diary and understanding everything... I wanted you back in my life. You can't ever replace Raine, but you are my mother, and I wanted..." He felt the pain swimming in his veins, and he allowed it to overwhelm him. He had told no one of the silent wish he prayed for every night, but after hearing of the lengths his mother had gone to in order to protect him, even long after it had seemed to be useless... He couldn't stop the words from escaping his lips, "I want us to be a family."

Virginia felt her chest tighten with emotion, and she took in a shuddering inhale in an attempt to soothe the sudden tension. She reached over her waist to hesitantly settle her hand in her son's long hair, and she asked softly, worriedly as they sat so close side-by-side, "You... You don't think it's too late to try again...? What about your sister...?"

"It's never too late to start again. Lloyd taught me that you can always do anything if you try hard enough." Genis pulled away to fix her with a determined stare, but he could tell that she was still scared. He knew Raine was even more hesitant than his mother to try again, but Genis wasn't about to let her go after reuniting with her again. "Don't worry about Raine either. I know she's hurting, but that's because she wanted you back too. She was desperate to get you back, Mother. It has to mean she cares, doesn't it? If she was that scared for you?"

"I hope that's so... I can't say that I don't, because I want to a chance to restart from zero too..." Virginia let out a sigh as she leaned against her son's shoulder. She found herself winding her arm around him to pull him close against her side, and she rested her head on top of his own and took in a breath of his scent. It calmed her in a way nothing else could, and she found herself slowly but surely relaxing. Her son was in her arms again, and he didn't resist her. Rather he leaned into her and held on tight, in a way she'd only dreamt of. "I love you, so much... I've tried so many times to imagine you grown and healthy... you're so handsome. You have much of your father in you."

"Do I really?" Genis questioned, and he turned to look up at her with a burning curiosity lighting up his eyes. Raine had rarely ever mentioned him, and he had no memories of the human man that was his father. He only knew that the man named Kloitz had died shortly before he'd been born, and Raine had been too young to know him enough to tell him much. "What was he like? Do we look alike? Did he use magic like I can or did I get that from you? Can _you_ use magic like me or are you like Raine?"

Virginia giggled softly in delight at the questions that came pouring from her son's mouth, and she was bittersweetly reminded of Kloitz' never-ending curiosity when she saw the light in Genis' eyes. Her husband had been fascinated with everything new and had a thirst for knowledge that had made him an expert on many different things. She could see that same intelligence and lust for information had passed on to her children, and that made her smile happily. Her husband lived on in their children, and she explained patiently to her son now, "Your father was a researcher, sent from Meltokio to live with the elves in Heimdall so he could study the ways we used magic. He was a lot like you, very curious and intelligent, and with a tongue that cut like a sword. I'm afraid that neither you or Raine look much like him, but that would be because elven genes tend to be stronger than human ones. Well, at least that's what Kloitz theorized. You see, he had some elven genes in his background, and that's what made him so curious to find out about them."

"Wow, so Father had some elves in his ancestry too?"

"You couldn't tell, as he couldn't use magic as we did, or you can. He had a bit of talent, but not nearly enough to become a full-fledged sorcerer." Virginia explained with a little chuckle, and she gestured to the still-roaring fire that Genis had conjured almost an hour beforehand as she added, "He'd be more prone to set himself on fire than setting it to anything, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I can tell you that you didn't get your knack for spell-casting from me though. I never could use offensive magic. My skills were purely of the healing variety."

"So Father could barely count as a mage, but you're a healer..." Genis whispered with surprise, and he glanced down at his hands as he tried to imagine how the genetics managed to work in such a strange way. He couldn't use the same healing abilities that came so easily to his sister, and somehow he'd managed to be a more powerful sorcerer than his father could ever have dreamed of, despite having the same DNA. "That's so strange how I can be such a talented mage but Father didn't have those skills..."

"Likely my elven blood helped spur along your talent, but I can't say for sure. What I do know is that you and Raine are much more talented than any elf could ever hope to be." Virginia asserted with a firm nod, and a hint of pride. She had never seen any elf in Heimdall use such magic as her daughter had, and she knew from various accounts that Genis' magical prowess was without an equal. The mixing of human and elvish blood had made a violent cocktail in her children, and though it had been dangerous for them as children... they had grown into their abilities with aplomb. "I'm very proud of you for becoming such talented forces in your own ways."

Genis blinked in shock at the words he'd never expected to hear, and he felt that familiar icy claw beginning to close over his heart. He fought it desperately, and asked, completely out of breath from the internal struggle, "Even though... we've half-elves?"

Virginia's eyebrows furrowed with confusion, and she turned entirely and looked at her son with a frown. He refused to look at her, and she gently set her hand underneath his chin and tilted his head up to look into his eyes. A dark pain stirred within him, with shame and sadness, and her stomach clenched as she realized what had truly made him weary of her before reading her diary. She answered him firmly as she rested her hands on his cheeks and forced him to meet her gaze, "You are my children. I don't care about the fact that you're half-elves. That never even once occurred to me when I realized I was pregnant. I loved your father, and I love you. Unconditionally. The fact that you share his human blood, and my elven blood... means nothing to me. If anything, it endears you to me all the more. The fact that your father remains with you... is a blessing to me."

There was a moment where Genis heard the words of the fictional Iselia mayor and his mother whispering the cruel venomous truths that he'd accepted to be the facts of his own dark heart. Then he looked up to see the truth shining in his mother's eyes, and could feel the warmth of his friends on his back when they had truly accepted him for what he was. He jerked back from her grip and lunged into her arms so he could hide his face in the front of her clothes as he asked shakily, "I-It... It really doesn't... make you hate me? You don't hate me for being a half-elf? Really?"

Virginia felt her balance shaking, and with great effort she righted herself while keeping her son tightly encircled in her arms. She could feel hot tears dampening the front of her borrowed shirt, and a white-hot agony burned through her. How had she made him suffer through the years simply by giving birth to him? She nuzzled against the top of his head as she whispered through her tight throat, "Yes... I could never hate you, Genis. Nothing in the world could ever make me hate you. Nothing. You're my precious son, and I love you without end."

"Genis?"

The mage hastily pulled away from his mother's embrace at the surprised call, and he found his face heating up as he looked into the surprised eyes of the axeman he'd separated from an hour or so beforehand. He quickly wiped his eyes dry on the back of his sleeve and looked from his mother's startled expression to the worried one on Presea's face. He looked from gaze to gaze and finally mumbled an awkward, "Crap..."

Presea blinked several times before shaking her head to clear the confused fuzz that had entered her head when she spotted Genis in the arms of a woman who looked shockingly like the professor. For reasons beyond her it had taken a few minutes before she realized the woman was his mother, and she bowed her head politely before saying, "I apologize, it seems I have interrupted something. I will take my leave."

"Ah, Presea wait!" Genis called as she made to turn, and when she stared at him with another confused stare he just knew his face had to be as red as Zelos' hair. He scrambled up from the log he and Virginia had been using as a bench, and grasped Presea by the wrist to forcibly drag her to his mother's side. He puffed out his chest and stared straight into Virginia's eyes as he explained, "I want to introduce you to my mother, Presea. This is Virginia Sage. Mother, this is Presea Combatir. She's one of the Heroes of Regeneration, and she's my good friend."

"Presea Combatir?" Virginia repeated once, with a strange smile ghosting on her lips as she carefully looked the pink-haired hunter from head to toe. She nodded her head in polite greeting as Presea had done and offered her hand to the surprised girl as she acknowledged the greeting with one of her own, "It's a pleasure to meet a close friend of my son's. I'm very glad to meet you."

"I am as well." Presea shook the proffered hand with bemusement, and she looked from Genis to Virginia as she tried to clear the static in her ears. A churning feeling had begun to settle in her stomach, and try as she might she couldn't identify it. So she took a few steps backwards from the elf and said quietly to Genis, "I apologize again for interrupting. I began searching for you when you failed to arrive at the campfire at the specified time."

"Crap, did I really forget?" Genis started as he glanced to the sky, only to realize in horror that the stars had begun to pepper the black velvet night. He groaned and slapped himself in the forehead before turning to his amused mother and explaining sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Presea. We can go right now! Mother, do you want to come too? You can meet everyone else there."

"No, I think I'll stay here for a little while." Virginia smiled a little when it appeared obvious that both Presea and Genis were set to argue her decision, and she cut them off smoothly, "I... still have a lot to digest. It's alright, you two should go." She couldn't help but chuckle as she added on to her son, "Besides, it's never alright to leave a lady waiting. Go on. I may meet up with you later."

"A-Alright! See you soon, Mother!"

Virginia pursed her lips to keep from laughing as she watched her son practically drag a very confused Presea back into the rows of tents and out of sight. She wasn't entirely sure of the story between the two, but she did have a suspicion that there was much more than friendship between them. She settled down on the log and turned to face the fire again only to hear another voice calling out from the shadows in a disturbing deja-vu.

"Hello, Mother."

Virginia turned about to see Raine watching from the shadows, opposite of the direction where her brother had sped off with Presea in tow. The elf felt her stomach contract tightly, and all senses of warmth from her moment with Genis fled her to be left with an aching emptiness. She took in a deep breath and greeted her daughter with a broken, "Raine..."

Raine's face was perfectly smooth, as it had been during the exchange, and she ventured forward to take a seat opposite of her mother across the fire. She settled her elbows on her knees and steepled her fingers, and she began rooting through her mind to think of what to say about what she had just seen. She admitted that she hadn't expected Genis to take so quickly to their mother, but what she also hadn't expected was the pain she'd felt when Genis had embraced her. Held her like she was so used to being held.

"How much... did you hear?" Virginia questioned hesitantly, and she noted the flicker of hard emotion that flashed across her daughter's stern face. It was enough of an answer, and the older woman looked down at her lap where her hands were tightly clenched together. "I see... It... must upset you, that I spoke to Genis without you."

"You are his mother, whether or not you acted as one during his childhood." Raine answered shortly, and her words cut across her mother like a venom-coated blade. The elf flinched and turned her gaze even lower, and her entire body slouched in on itself as a heady mixture of guilt and pain clouded her eyes. Raine herself cringed as she watched her mother's reaction to her words, and she instantly regretted being so brutal to her.

That trip to Exire had changed her life, for better or for worse, and she realized that her mother wasn't the woman she had always assumed her to be. It hadn't been out of hatred, disgust or pity that her mother had left her, rather it'd be hopelessness at her own lack of power. She'd tried to give them a better life, one without her, and as much as it hurt... Her life had been better in Sylvarant than it ever would've been in Tethe'alla.

Though they were facts, Raine still couldn't swallow them as easily as she would've liked to. Her cold rationale had left her, and she was alone with her emotions that she usually tried so hard to suppress. She was used to being the devil's advocate, if only because someone had to be, but it didn't make her enjoy the experience. And she hated herself now for not having enough practise with not being the one who spoke from the head and not the heart.

"You're right..." Virginia whispered tiredly, and she raised her chin slightly to look her daughter in the eyes. Again she found herself unable to stop her tears, but these were of sorrow. She has assumed she had shed all the tears she would ever need in a lifetime, but seeing her son and daughter again had triggered the mother she had long since thought was lost in the fog of insanity. "Of course you are... I apologize for speaking with him without you present... I won't do such a thing again. I... can go again, if you prefer... I... just wished to see you once... and tell you how sorry I am."

Raine blinked in surprise, and she found herself speaking the thoughts that raced so cruelly and angrily through her fevered mind before she could stop herself. "Truth be told, I would prefer you to be gone, at least long enough for me to try and understand why I hate you as much as I love you right now. Every time I look at you I see you in Exire, foolishly clinging to that doll, insisting that it's me... and I want to hurt you. Hurt you like you hurt me, even if there is no logic to it."

Virginia was silent, and she closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling down her face and giving away her real pain. She gripped herself about the middle and forced herself to stay completely still. To absorb the words that she knew she deserved to hear.

A tired, painful and bitter laugh escaped Raine as she shook her head slowly from side to side as she went over the words she had just said. She quietly, painfully countered them now with, "Then I have to remind myself... of what caused you to reach that point. You'd just been cast out from your village, and were living on the run so you could protect Genis and I. Your husband was dead, and you knew eventually we'd be caught, and you were growing insane with anxiety. So in a last ditch attempt to save us, from the papacy, the hatred, and perhaps even yourself... you sent us through the Otherworldly Gate and into Sylvarant. You... You loved us so much you were willing to part with us, if only to give us a better chance of living freely. And I can't remain angry."

The fire crackled as a breathless silence fell over them, and after what seemed like years... Raine slowly moved to her feet. Virginia looked up, silent and shocked, as her daughter approached her and then held out her hand. Mirror-image azure eyes stared into each other's and the daughter whispered softly to her mother, "You sacrificed so much for us... and I spurned you once before because of what I believed to be cruelty on your part. I was wrong... and I apologize. For what I said, and for what I've done for the most of my life. Hating you, spurning my blood and hiding from my emotions... all of it."

"Why... Why would you apologize when it's me whose hurt you?" Virginia's hand trembled as she ached to reach and take her daughters', but she kept it down in her lap as if her life depended on it. She refused to accept such kindness after what she had done. She didn't deserve it. "You're right for being angry with me. I fled my duties as your mother, and left you. I retreated into my world of dreams and fantasy and paid no mind to your suffering. Why on earth would you apologize to me? Offer me your hand?"

"Because you're my mother... and I've finally realized that I've been foolishly running away from my feelings." Raine answered softly, and she refused to move from where she stood or withdraw her hand. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears of her own, and her chest ached painfully with the multitude of emotions that threatened to burst inside of her. She shook her head as she whispered brokenly, "I was faced with the idea that I could lose you, all over again, when there was still hope... and that terrified me. I vowed to find you and bring you back safely, and when I had... I was scared of what I would say or do when you returned. I didn't know how I felt... I still don't know... but I do know that I love you and that I forgive you. Because if I had been you... I would have done the exact same thing for my children. And that's enough."

"Ahh..." Virginia let out a low moan, and she shook her head as her hand began moving of its own volition. She reached out and grasped her daughter securely by the hand, and she pulled herself to her feet before wrapping her arms desperately around her daughter's waist. She felt Raine's arms returning that frantic hug, and the two clung to each other as the tears of grief and joy finally were allowed to flow for hopefully the last time. "My daughter... I love you so much..."

"I love you too, Mother... Welcome home."

* * *

**Hima Caverns**

**That Night**

Lloyd cursed quietly as he pushed through the foliage that hid the mouth of the cavern, and he angrily growled a few dark obscenities his breath as he shoved aside the last few branches that hid the cave from him. He was tired from the travel, but his orders were absolute and he pushed himself into the cave. The moment he was inside he heard a strange rhythmic sound echoing from deep inside the cavern, and his eyes narrowed as he began to approach the sound.

As he moved further in he realized that the noise was a shallow panting, and his eyes narrowed with suspicion as his hands moved to his swords. He slowed his pace considerably and slowly drew his swords as his instincts kicked into overdrive. His blades glowed faintly in the darkness, and he moved with cautious patience further into the cave where he knew the sound originated from.

As he approached a bend in the tunnel he noted the flicker of light that warmed the top of the cave. Recognizing the shimmer as a fire, he moved around the corner with blades at the ready only to be stopped dead at what he saw. His hands froze around the hilt of his blades, leaving them up and facing what he'd perceived to be the threat.

A soft, almost bitterly amused chuckle answered his slackened posture, and a cool voice peppered with pain whispered to him, "If you've come to kill me... you have arrived at the most opportune time."

"T... Tasogare..." Lloyd muttered, and his hands fell limply against his sides as if all the strength in him had given out. He blinked rapidly, as if expecting the sight before him to dissipate but nothing changed. He still saw his superior lying propped up against the wall of the cavern, with both hands settled on her stomach as she faced the tiny fire that was burning away before her. A tiny trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, appearing all the more red against her especially clammy pallor.

She stared up at him with her cold and unapproachable golden eyes, but the firmness was lost in her expression as a cough rattled her body. She grimaced and gripped at her stomach as her body doubled over, and the blood flowing from her mouth splattered on the ground. Her fit only lasted a few moments, but when she flopped back onto the wall all of the strength seemed to have gone out of her.

That bitter chuckle she had introduced herself with followed again, and she stared almost wryly at the blades he had yet to sheath. She turned her head away from him to spit out a second mouthful of blood, and when she turned her gaze back her pale lips had turned crimson. She spoke with a hoarse tone, as if the coughing had ruined her throat but the cadence of arrogance and cold detachment remained, "I'd prefer if you ended it quickly, instead of observing the mess... or have you forgotten your vow...?"

Lloyd wasn't sure of what to make of what he saw, and on instinct he knelt down beside the clearly suffering angel. She pulled away from his nearness as if on instinct, and he allowed her the room she wanted but didn't stand. His hands refused to drop his swords, as if the back of his mind refused to let him forget the fact that he was near an enemy, and he narrowed his eyes as he took a chance to examine her from close up.

Though her hands covered her stomach he had a good view of the blood that had seeped through her clothes. Her chain-mail vest and leather armour were folded neatly a few feet away from her, along with the brass-plated leggings that she sported normally underneath her uniform. Despite her trappings being piled within her reach her sword hadn't been removed from her belt, even if she was wearing nothing but a baggy pair of navy pants and an olive shirt.

Only the blood from her mouth and stomach proved that she was injured in any shape or form, though her legs and arms were well covered by her clothing. Her hands reflexively curled with every breath she took, and a tremor would go through her whenever a coughing fit was about to begin. Her hair was damp with sweat and her skin possessed an odd greyish tinge as if she was already dead.

"What's wrong with you?" Lloyd finally questioned, and his voice was shaky as he leaned back on his haunches to give her space. He could tell that she wasn't wounded in a way that a weapon would have done as her clothes and armour sported no damage, but still she was bleeding. When he looked at her stomach he noted that the blood had soaked through the entire mid-section of her shirt, and was beginning to seep into her pants. "You're losing a lot of blood..."

"Really... Must you question me?" Tasogare asked with a low sigh, and she closed her eyes as she leaned back entirely against the wall. A spasm of pain rocked her body, but she held herself firm through it. Her jaw was tightly clenched as she glared through narrowed eyes at him, "Here you have me presented to you, on a metaphorical silver platter, and all you can think to do is make conversation?"

Lloyd's eyes flickered, and his hands tightened to the point of pain around his blades. The emotions he had kept securely under wraps began to stir, but he fought it down with every inch of his being. He let out a tired and pained exhale before he allowed his hands to shove his blades back into their respective sheathes. "I won't kill an enemy who hasn't drawn their weapon.. and there's no honour in taking your life when you're like this either."

"Honour...? You really are a naive fool." Tasogare shook her head from side to side with exasperation, and she closed her eyes as her hands tightened again over her navel. Her knuckles turned white but somehow she managed to keep her expression relatively smooth. She sighed painfully as a new dribble of blood made its way down the corner of her mouth, and murmured, "Honour will get you killed sooner than your idiotic idealism."

"I'd rather die honourably trying to help someone than die being selfish." Lloyd retorted sharply and with a hint of true anger. He wouldn't lie that he felt the urge to sink his blades deep into her already bloody stomach, but his hands wouldn't let him do so. He simply couldn't take her life. His eyes flared as he added on, "I'll take you down in a fair fight... not like this."

"You'll regret that one day, Irving..." Tasogare muttered almost with annoyance, and she made to say more only to be cut off by another fit. Her entire body was thrown into it, and she gripped almost desperately at her stomach as if she was trying to keep her innards from falling out. Her fingers curled around her clothes, pulling up the shirt in the process and Lloyd caught a glimpse of what lay underneath the bloody fabric.

A strangled gasp escaped his lips, and he fell back in complete shock as the image of dark forest-green scales passed before his eyes. Tasogare let out a growl as she struggled to pull her shirt back down even while her body was wracked with coughs, but her fingers refused to obey her commands.

Lloyd understood what he saw without her explanation, and the realization left him in complete shock. He watched as she gritted her teeth and turned her face away, but she didn't try to pull her shirt down again. It lay bunched up just over her naval, and it left him with all the view he needed.

Embedded in her navel was a golden diamond that Lloyd recognized as a Key Crest, but one that had a design he didn't recognize. From the mount the scales spread out in a radius, reaching up underneath her shirt towards her chest and down below her waist as if it was intent on covering every inch of her skin. Also from the mount he realized that blood was leaking from underneath the Crystal, and he whispered with horror, "You... That..."

"If you want to do something productive, then remove the Crystal and hand me the satchel on top of my armour." Tasogare ground out, and she spat out her fourth mouthful of blood and glared at him with a dangerous edge. "I only have at most five minutes to treat the infection before I die of shock when the Crystal is removed. The blasted thing keeps me alive as it kills me, of all the irony..."

"Are you asking me to help keep you alive?" Lloyd questioned with shock, and his eyes widened as he saw the intent behind her gaze. "And you called _me_ foolish? You expect me to help you, instead of letting you die?"

"Yes... I do." Tasogare leaned forward and her lips pulled back into a bloody smile of grim determination as she reached with shaking hands to her mid-section. She closed her fingers around the Crystal, and she leaned her head back against the stone as if to hold herself there, and she muttered as she yanked it out, "Because you want to kill me in a fair fight, and you won't have that opportunity if you allow me to die here."

**AN**

**A shorter chapter than the one I left you with last time, but this seemed to be an appropriate place to leave it... I don't have many witty remarks to make today, as it's too early in the morning, I'm fresh off of an all-nighter, and truth be told... I don't want to say anything smart. So... Enjoy.**

**~ Sky**


	16. The Uncrossed Line

**Flanoir**

**Olive Village Inn**

**The Following Night**

"The room is rented out for a month, but there's a small account set up for you so that you can extend your time whenever you like." Raine explained quietly as she set a small case down on the bed that lay flush against the east wall of the spacious room. She looked to her mother who was sitting down uneasily at the desk, fiddling with her hands, and she forced a smile as she took a seat opposite of her on the edge of the desk. The worry that clouded Virginia's face was slowly but surely making its way into Raine, and she fought it hard as she continued her explanation in a calm tone, "You have both Renegades and ninja of Mizuho taking turns watching the inn, and you have enough Gald to make yourself comfortable in Flanoir. There's nothing to worry about. We'll only be a short trip away on Rheaird, as our next destination is the Temple of Lightning. We can come back to check in with you, if you're that concerned."

"It's not that I'm worrying about myself... I'm worrying about you." Virginia admitted with a tiny sigh, and she looked up to see Raine blinking in confusion. A weak laugh escaped her, and she rubbed tiredly at her temples as she murmured, "I know that I've left you alone for long enough to be able to function without you, but now that you've come back into my life... I don't want to let you out of my sight again. I'm so terrified that I'll lose you." She shuffled her feet awkwardly before adding on, "And it doesn't matter how far away you are, or how many times you return... I just can't help worrying that I'll never see you again if you're out of my sight."

"Mother, Genis and I are perfectly capable, and we have journeyed like this once before." Raine couldn't help but smile as her mother's worry punctuated the sincerity of her feelings. She reached to settle a comforting hand on the elf's shoulder, and she added on in a somewhat teasing tone, "Besides, we have our comrades to help us, even if something does go wrong. We're a strong unit. I assure you that we'll be fine. And we will be back."

Virginia pursed her lips, and she closed her eyes for a brief moment to absorb the feeling of her daughter's reassuring hand. She let out a deep breath and then gazed searchingly into her daughter's face as the nagging feeling that had been prickling its way through the back of her mind started up again. She settled her own hand on top of Raine's and focussed her entire being and reached out with the depths of her senses to explore the tangled chaos that she had sensed inside of her daughter.

She felt it as clearly as she'd felt the cool spring rain on her skin, and she released her hold on the professor. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she questioned, "Raine, how long has your mana flow been disrupted like this? It's like knots have formed all within you. You must be completely blocked."

Raine started at her mother's intuitive question and the out of the blue manner that it popped up, but her shock faded just as quickly as it had come as she remembered the words she'd told Zelos in Luin. Elves worked in strange ways with their connection to the mana of the world, and though she and Genis had similar skills, the true power of elves was as pure as their blood. She and Genis would only ever have the muted ability to sense mana, and she wondered how long her mother had known about her inability to tap into it. She settled wearily on her perch and explained with closed eyes, "The Desians attacked my home... They set it on fire. I had only one way out, and that was to jump from the balcony and into the water... and my phobia didn't make that easy. My jumping in traumatized me so badly that I blocked it out entirely. While I recovered shortly after that... I haven't been able to reconnect to my mana since."

"Your inner flow was disrupted by the trauma... That happens most frequently with healers rather than spellcasters." Virginia breathed out slowly, and she shook her head at the plight that had been set upon her daughter. When Raine looked at her with confusion she felt a little smile grow as she recalled her husband's mirrorlike expression. She reached to touch Raine's hand again and closed her eyes as she reached out a second time with her senses, "I take it you've studied extensively on things like mana signatures and the like...?"

"Yes. Each mana signature is unique to its person, though biological relations can have similar signatures." Raine nodded in acknowledgement, but her eyes were wide and curious as she felt her mother press down with her fingers on her hand. She could tell from the firm expression on the elf's face that she was searching through her mana flow in an attempt to find the blockage, and she continued in an attempt to ease her anxiety, "Furthermore, the way one can use mana tends to be revealed through their mana signature. It's been discovered by the Imperial Research Institute that mages in general have a similar pattern in their signatures that allow them to use mana in an offensive manner, while healers lack that pattern but have one of their own that acts in a similar way towards healing abilities."

"You have done your research. That's good." Virginia exhaled quietly and opened her eyes as she withdrew her hands, and a look of disappointment clouded her features as she relaxed in her seat. She shook her head tiredly before running a hand through her long hair with an air of frustration, "As you also know, to use mana either offensively or defensively requires concentration and a calm centre. That allows the mana to flow evenly throughout your body and gives you the power you need to cast your spells... but your flow is entirely disrupted. If there was only a blockage I could probably manage to clear it out, but as it were... It's as if all the pathways are knotted."

"I knew the trauma had closed down my ability to access my mana..." Raine hissed with great frustration, and she pushed herself to her feet and began angrily pacing the length of the room. She had torn through many books in Sybak in a desperate attempt to find a way to cure herself, but there simply wasn't enough time for her to find anything that showed promise. As it were now she was useless to her companions, and she knew one day her healing prowess would be needed and she wouldn't have the abilities when that time came. "This will be the death of me, or worse, one of my companions. I already failed to help Genis when he needed me, and..." Her voice broke and she remembered the feeling of horror when she'd seen her little brother collapse, and the helplessness that had come with her being unable to do anything about it.

"Raine..." Virginia murmured softly, and she too moved to her feet to gently take her daughter by the shoulders. The look of angry frustration coupled with defeated sadness moved the elf, and she let out a soft breath as the old ways of her kin began stirring in the deepest recesses of her mind. The idea was like a poison vine, but it tangled around her brain quickly and efficiently, and her eyes narrowed with determination as she spoke up firmly, "Raine, I may be able to help you. It's an old technique, but I can't say for sure if it will bring you back to full strength. As it may, it might just open up a single path, and you would have to do the rest... but are you willing to give it a try?"

"Is it dangerous?"

Virginia could hear the hope saturating her daughter's voice, and it was all she needed to make her decision. She shook her head and smiled with easy practise as she answered, "You know every healing ability has its drawback on the caster. It'll be fine. Can you please sit on the bed and give me a moment to collect myself?"

Raine frowned at her mother's easy answering, but slowly she retreated back onto the bed. The hope had bubbled up inside of her chest and was making her nearly giddy, but she never forgot herself. She watched her mother carefully, but the elf seemed to be completely calm as she murmured quietly to herself. Her voice was too low for Raine to hear, and when she tried to edge closer her mother shooed her back with a little chuckle.

After a few moments Virginia pulled a chair close to the bed and took a seat directly opposite of her daughter. She positioned her into a firm sitting posture and then instructed, "I'll need you to remove anything that could absorb mana. I need to have a direct and pure link with you in order to ensure success."

"Alright..." Raine looked down quickly at herself then noted with the tiniest of smiles the aquamarine ring decorating her right hand. Sheena had given it to her after her final pact, and had explained with a joking smile that the ring was meant to prevent accidents at sea. While she'd initially been annoyed with the joke, Raine had worn it ever since and had to thank the summoner for thinking of her even if in a playful way. Now she removed the ring and set it down on the pillow beside her, and she then removed the gold band that she wore on her left hand. Her eyes softened as she remembered the day Regal had presented her with it, and even two years later she felt her face warming at his marriage vows at the ceremony.

"_I pledge myself, mind, body and soul to you, Raine Sage. To you, I give everything that I have to give. From this day forth and until the day I die, I promise you my love."_

"You must love your husband very much." Virginia noted as she caught sight of the contended smile that stretched her daughter's lips, and she felt her heart give a bittersweet squeeze. Raine's explanation of her marriage had been analysed endlessly when they'd finally been able to talk at their leisure that night at the campfire, and she'd seen firsthand how caring and tender the man had been to her daughter.

"I do." Raine smiled softly, and she reached to run a single fingertip over the ring's smooth surface in a tender caress. She didn't care about how out of place it seemed to be on her hand to others' eyes, or the strange stares she received when she was introduced as Regal Bryant's wife even now as a half-elf. All she knew was that the president of Lezareno viewed her as a woman, and loved her for who she was rather than the titles her blood and profession gave her. "He's a good man, Mother. I wish you could have spent more time getting to know him. I'm sure you would like him."

"I'll take my time when this mess is over getting to know my new son-in-law. I'm sure when I'm older that Genis will have to introduce me to that young girl again as his fiancee." Virginia couldn't help but chuckle at herself, and she shook her head with great exasperation as the reality of her age hit her. She looked almost as young as her daughter did, and wouldn't show signs of her age for at least a handful of decades more, but she still felt rather old. Her daughter was married, and her son was just showing the first signs of attraction. She giggled playfully as she reached up to remove the beaded necklace she wore about her neck, "I just hope by then you give me some grandchildren."

"H-Hey, Mother! That isn't funny!"

"I thought it was."

"M-Mother, let's get on with this!" Raine exclaimed with great embarrassment, and she averted her eyes so that she didn't need to see her mother's laughing gaze. She took in a deep breath in an attempt to quell her racing heart and suddenly very full stomach, and mumbled with uncharacteristic petulance, "What else do you need me to do...?"

"Focus on something that contents you. Warms you." Virginia instructed, with most of the laughter gone from her now that business was to be attended to. She reached out with fingers extended to touch the pads of her fingertips on her daughter's face, and continued, "As cliche as it is, I need you to think happy thoughts. In order for me to open up the pathway, it's necessary for you to reverse the situation that closed it in the first place. Be in a place where you're content and relaxed. Happy and free."

Raine closed her eyes and took in a second deep breath as she felt her body slowing in response to her order to relax. She cast her thoughts to her family and formed a mental picture of the future; where the Desians and the journeys were only a distant memory and peace had returned to Aselia. Unbidden a tiny smile began to grow on her face as she delved deeper into the image, and she pictured her mother standing beside her with a proud smile, as her husband sat on the floor with a small child in his lap. Genis was laughing and was entertaining the baby, and his keen blue eyes were warm and full of happiness.

Virginia smiled as she watched her daughter slowly lose her grip on the reality of where she sat, and her fingertips glowed slightly as she added a pinch of her mana to pull her under and into the dream. The hint of mana layered over the image and sucked Raine in completely, allowing her to fall into a daze that wasn't consciousness or unconsciousness. Noting that her daughter was now completely incapacitated, Virginia breathed softly as she focussed her mana, "I should've told you, but you need this more than I."

She closed her eyes and allowed herself the briefest of glimpses into the dream that she had helped her daughter create. Her lips pulled back in a smile that mirrored her daughters, and then she let go of the power she had been holding in unconsciously. At first her mana clung to the body it knew so well, uncoiling like a spring that threatened to pull back with the force she was exerting on it. However Virginia knew her mana well, and she edged it gently towards the blocked path of her daughter's inner workings and whispered softly to it in the language of her kind, "_Heal._"

The mana of her body tasted the distress, and with years of compassionate use it moved on its own to penetrate Raine's body and sink into the pathways that had been blocked by trauma. Virginia felt it halt, stuck along with Raine's own mana, and she pushed harder against the single doorway she had found. So many years of madness had left her own supply exhausted, and she hadn't the time to replenish it naturally, but she used every single trickle she could find and poured it into her daughter's body.

The sudden influx of mana caused a breakage, and Raine hissed reflexively as the dream she had been pulled into began to shatter. Virginia grit her teeth and used the last of her power to give her mana the last shove it needed, and the single pathway she had put her energy into broke wide open.

The mana, no longer hers, flooded joyfully down the pathway and woke the slumbering power that had grown old inside of it. The second the unseen stream touched the foreign power that had awoken it the two began to merge, and Virginia watched breathlessly as the powers mingled and solidified.

Raine awoke with a startled cry, and her eyes snapped open as the dream Virginia had lulled her into broke completely. The daze vanished with a surge of adrenaline, and she gasped as she felt the rush of mana pouring through her body. The feeling was like a strange high, and she found herself lost to sensation as the mana ran through a pathway she had thought closed forever. She could still feel paths cold and unaffected, but she knew that time and patience would open them again.

Slowly she was brought down to reality, and her gaze moved to find the elf who had brought about the miracle. Her eyes widened in horror as she found her mother collapsed on the floor, trembling uncontrollably. Her skin was slowly losing lustre, and her eyes were wide and lips parted as she gasped for air. Raine fell from the bed and to her knees beside her fallen mother, and she gasped out in terror, "Mother? What did you do!"

"Gave you... my mana..." Virginia whispered brokenly, and she felt her fingers quickly becoming numb as her body began to shut down. The absence of mana inside of her body would kill her within minutes, but she clung desperately to life as she smiled at her terror-stricken daughter, "You... have it back... now... Try... and use it..."

Raine stiffened in realization, and her body began to move on instinct as she placed her hands over her mother's chest. She reached inside of herself and tasted the mana she knew belonged to her mother and coaxed it to move at her command. It followed obediently, and she urged the thin stream to flow back to where it belonged.

Just as her fingers began to glow with the green-white power of healing, Virginia reached out and grabbed Raine by the wrist with what feeble strength her failing body had left. She gasped out painfully as she felt her organs begin to shut down, "Keep... most... only a little will do... You need it more..."

"I understand." Raine whispered quietly, and she closed her eyes as she settled a reign on her new power and urged a tiny bit of it to flow into her mother. The mana that had originally belonged to the elf needed no more coaxing and gleefully raced back to its master. The professor watched with anxiety as colour flooded back in her mother's face, and the mana began to work its magic on her body. She added a dose of her own as a shot of experimental First-Aid, and watched with surprised delight as the sparks sank deep within Virginia's body and began to reverse the damage that had been done. Her mother's abilities had left her own powers charged beyond their norm, even though she couldn't yet reach the abilities she remembered using beforehand... She knew her skills had become more potent with the added mana she'd received.

A moment of silence passed as Raine's effort showed its rewards on Virginia's body. Slowly her muscles relaxed and she let out a relieved breath as the healing worked its wonders on her. She felt the damage of her mana loss reversing, and the little trickle of mana that had been returned to her was racing happily through her system. She slowly made to push herself to her feet, but Raine's firm hand stopped her from moving.

"Don't get up. Relax for a few minutes." Raine instructed her hoarsely, and she took sat down completely in order to let her fevered mind and wired body begin to cope with the sudden changes. She glared at the woman below her and growled through gritted teeth, "That was risky. Too risky. What if you hadn't been able to open the doors? You'd have died for nothing."

"If I had died trying to help you... it would have been the right way for me to go. I only had so much to spare, and every ounce was needed." Virginia replied with a soft smile, and she reached out to twine her fingers with her daughters and gave a gentle squeeze. She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly before whispering, "You are a healer again... and a few days of sickness is much worth it. I can replenish my mana... but you can't unlock every door on your own."

"I'll thank you once I'm through being angry with you." Raine sighed with fond exasperation, and she returned the gentle squeeze her mother had offered her tremulously. She still felt dizzy and was sure that she would for a few more hours before her body became accustomed to having mana flow so freely though it again. Her mother would be ill for days, perhaps even weeks because of the sudden drain, but she would recover too as her mana naturally refilled itself again. Things would be well once more, given enough time and patience. She was sure of it.

"I think I can wait..."

* * *

**Asgard**

**That Night**

"Oww...! That hurts!"

"Stay _still_, Harley!" Aisha's usually quiet voice was sharp as she scolded the fidgeting half-elf, and she pulled his retreating arm back into her lap and held it there firmly this time. She ignored his whining protest and continued to dab the gash that had opened up his entire forearm with the antiseptic she had run out and bought from the store. She narrowed her warm amytal eyes on him and scolded pointedly, "If you hadn't been so bullheaded last night then we wouldn't be sitting here. You're just lucky that Linar pulled you away in time, or else you may have lost your arm."

Harley scowled at the floor as the memory of Linar's bravery that had saved him of an arm was brought up again. The bespectacled boy was a hero in his sister's eyes, and he a fool and it only served to worsen the half-elf's sour mood. He winced as Aisha applied a second layer of the hated germ-killer, and he grumbled out under his breath, "You wouldn't be saying that if your house had been burned to the ground..."

"They weren't after houses, they were after _you_. And _you _put yourself right in the line of fire by gallivanting off to confront them." Aisha rebuked him firmly, and her hand tightened around his wrist in order to have him turn to face her. She gazed hard into his emerald eyes and continued in a no-nonsense tone, "The mayor and everyone in the town are trying to keep you and the others safe here, but you insist on causing trouble whenever Rourke and his ilk come into town."

"That's because he's an uneducated pig who's clinging to his hatred and imaginary superiority of his human blood!" Harley growled angrily, and he made to say more only to be cut off by Aisha slathering another helping onto his open wound. He jerked in pain but she held tight to his wrist. He protested as she began bandaging his wound, "Why are you so mad at _me_? Rourke is slandering half-elves but why am I the one getting reprimanded?"

"Harley, do I need to explain it again?" Aisha questioned with great exasperation. She sighed and shook her head as she began wrapping the dressing firmly around Harley's arm, and after the bandaging was firmly applied she explained, "Rourke will keep on coming here as long as you keep on raising to the bait. If you ignore him he'll move on. The others have stopped. Why can't you?"

"Because–" Harley began hotly only to be cut off when he heard a scream echo from outside of the house. He was on his feet in seconds with Aisha right behind, and sounds of mayhem followed the single scream. He moved to the door despite Aisha's frightened protest, and his eyes narrowed as he looked out the window to see a crowd of soldiers moving through the hill.

"What in the world...?" Aisha whispered as she looked over his shoulder to see the mass of armoured soldiers moving up the hill with deadly purpose. Her eyes widened with horror as the group fanned out before the converted storehouse, and she grasped Harley by the arm and exclaimed in shock, "The refugee house!"

"Stay inside!" Harley growled and he shook free of her grasp and raced outside, resolutely ignoring her plea for him to stop as he charged the slope. His right arm stung still from the previous attack but he pushed aside his pain and lifted it as he began concentrating his mana. He targeted the backs of the soldiers closest to him and growled out, "_Aqua Edge_!"

The blades of water sliced through the air to slam viciously against the unprepared soldiers he had targeted. The mana-imbued water took down two of the five soldiers, and they crumpled to the ground, unconscious from the shock. The other three were vaulted forward, but managed to recover in time to stop themselves from going down like their comrades. The two dozen soldiers turned as one to face him, and he felt his blood turn icy as the leader stepped to the front of the semicircle. He knew at once that the enemy before him was an angel, but he held his ground before the olive-haired soldier.

"Well, what do you know. Someone in this village has guts after all." Auin chuckled coldly, and he reached up to fondle the hilt of the broadsword that was strapped to his back. His eyes gleamed speculatively as they sized Harley up, and he clucked his tongue with disappointment. He gestured absently to the soldiers lying on the ground and sighed mockingly as he questioned, "Have you ever killed a man, half-elf? Do you even know how to?"

"I don't need to kill anyone to get my point across." Harley retorted venomously, and he stiffened as he watched the angel pull his enormous sword from his back and hefted it easily with one hand. His eyes widened however when the angel turned his back and levelled the blade at the fallen soldiers. "What are you...!"

"Watch and learn, my traitorous kinsman!" Auin laughed demonically as his eyes flared with a deadly light and he lifted his blade into the air as the men around the fallen soldiers quickly fled his sword's range. A dark brown aura flickered around the sword's broad face and it shot forward as Auin swung it in the direction of the soldiers with a layered voice calling, "_Stalagmite_!"

Harley couldn't suppress a shout of shock as he watched two tall jagged rocks burst from underneath the soldier's fallen bodies to impale them through the chest. Blood spurted from the wounds, and mirrored screams of agony sounded in the hill as the soldiers writhed in a desperate attempt to escape the killing stones. However the jagged rocks had pierced them through, and their cries for mercy became choked and finally dwindled down to moans and gasps before falling silent altogether. Harley's entire body was trembling as the soldier turned to face him, and he whispered hoarsely, "What... What the hell...?"

Auin smiled broadly as he turned his blade on Harley, and in the half-elf's shock he didn't move when faced with the broadsword. His jade eyes sparked with bloodlust, and he advanced forward calmly as he spoke in a voice dripping with dark amusement, "I guess you never have killed a man, half-elf. Knocking a man out is cowardly when you could simply cut the unprotected throat. It's a pity that you've never had the chance... but perhaps you would like to try your hand at it?"

He snapped his fingers and from the circle of soldiers came a ragged looking man that was shoved forward unceremoniously. Harley's eyes widened as he recognized the man who had been responsible for cutting his arm open the previous night, and bile rose in his throat as he saw the horrible shape he was in. While one of his arms had been broken the last time they met now his other was in a similar state. His right eye was swollen shut, and his upper lip split, and both his arms and legs were in chains. He looked up in terror as he landed on his knees between Auin and Harley, and he begged hoarsely, "Please... Please don't kill me... I beg of you... please..."

"Rourke..." Harley muttered in disbelief, and he couldn't find himself able to move as Auin harshly stood the man up by using his sword instead of his hand. He felt a stab of delicious irony in his chest at the sight of the former racist crying and begging for mercy at the hands of two half-elves, but he also felt sympathy for the shell of the man. Now that his horde was gone from behind him he lacked his 'unshakeable' convictions.

Auin smiled darkly as he settled his blade underneath the man's chin, and he spoke directly to Harley in a harshly hypnotic tone, "There was quite the ruckus yesterday because of this human, wasn't there...? Why don't you take out your anger on him? You're one of us, are you not? Prove yourself, and join the ranks, my fellow kinsman. Slaughter the source of your anger, and prove that you are his superior."

"N-No, don't kill me! Please, I beg of you! Have mercy...!"

Harley could feel the dark pull in his gut, and he swallowed the hard knot in his throat as his hand began to raise on its own. Years of anger and resentment was swirling inside of him, and he found the focus of it before him. He could faintly hear the cries for mercy, and the looks of hatred and revulsion. He felt the pain of rejection and of the harsh words that tore his skin in ways that the things they threw at him could never do. For a heart-stopping moment he looked into the eyes of the man who had made a personal hell in Asgard, and felt his mana stirring in response to his anger.

"_Enough_!"

The shout rang out just as a shockwave of energy slammed into the unprepared Auin and imprisoned Rourke, knocking both to the ground. The broadsword the angel carried clattered harmlessly to the grass, and before the angel could reach for it a second wave of energy slammed into the sword and sent it flying out of reach. Harley started in shock, only to feel a firm hand clasping his shoulder and yanking him backwards and out of the way.

"Get out of here, Harley." The cloaked figure spoke quietly but firmly, and a hiss of a blade leaving its sheath alerted Harley to his paired weaponry. The blades of fire and ice both hissed and steamed in the cool night air, and he continued in a low growl, "Go back to Aisha. Now."

Harley took advantage of the distraction to leave the scene, and once he was sure that the half-elf was gone he shook his head to remove his hood. Lloyd's adust eyes burned with anger as he watched Auin move to his feet and grasp his sword, and he spoke with carefully controlled fury, "You weren't supposed to be here tonight. Get out of Asgard and leave the half-elves here alone. Tasogare's orders."

"Tasogare's orders?" Auin repeated with mocking laughter, and he moved to return his blade to the harness on his back. The broadsword let out a faint click as it attached to its holster, but the angel's dark eyes proved that he didn't need the blade to cause damage. He ignored the surprised muttering of his men behind him and stalked forward to stare Lloyd down with only bare inches between them. "If _Tasogare_ has orders to give me, she can come out of the shadows to give me them herself. Otherwise... I'll continue at my leisure."

Lloyd's jaw tightened but he didn't back away. Rather he narrowed his eyes and met the glare tit for tat. He remembered his orders, and he refused to disobey them. His hands tightened around the hilts of his blades, and he snarled in reply, "Either you leave on your own volition... or I _make_ you leave."

"I'd take you up on that offer, if you weren't underneath that little bitch's protection." Auin snorted with malicious amusement, and he knew his barb had the intended affect when Lloyd's hands began to tremble with fury. He leaned back on the balls of his feet, and without looking away from Lloyd he shouted out his orders, "Men, fall back! Withdraw to the base, and wait there for my orders!"

At once the two dozen soldiers vanished into the darkness, leaving nothing but the bodies of their fallen comrades behind. Lloyd allowed his eyes to flicker from the corpses back to the general who had killed them, and his lips thinned with disgust. He'd been warned of the things he might see, but he hadn't expected to see a man needlessly killing his own men. Only Yggdrasil had ever showed such cruelty.

Auin let out an exaggerated sigh before he moved back from Lloyd and extended his hands in mock surrender. He bowed his head in that same vein and spoke with dark satisfaction, "You lose this round, but I appreciate your attempt to play. You must remember that Tasogare is the only one I answer to... and I won't be answering to her forever. The bitch's time is coming, and it's going to be a very..." He licked his lips slowly, methodically, and muttered with horrible emphasis, "_pleasurable _experience."

"Get out of here." Lloyd repeated coldly, and he watched with gritted teeth as Auin bowed dramatically before melting into the shadows like his men had before him. He spat bitterly on the ground where he had stood before looking back towards the house where he knew Harley had disappeared into. He hoped that the half-elf found solace in Aisha's gentleness, and he moved silently to leave the city before an alarm could be raised about him being spotted.

He found himself wondering if Harley had been too stunned to recognize him as he hurried along the empty path through the town. He had been surprised to see Auin offering Harley a chance to join him, and even more so when the half-elf had hesitated. He didn't want to think about what could have happened if he hadn't moved fast enough to intervene.

It wasn't as if he didn't understand though, and Lloyd sighed tiredly as he remembered the steadfast hatred that Genis had clung to when faced with humans and elves. He could sympathize with Harley as much as he wanted condemn him for it. He was glad his timing had proved fruitful, if anything else. Harley hadn't had to make a painful and isolating decision, and he'd be happier for it in the long run. Lloyd was certain of that much.

His mind turned to the angel who had sent him to Asgard, and unbidden his lips thinned further in annoyance. She had played a dangerous game with him, and he'd fallen deeper into it than he'd hoped. After she had removed her Cruxis Crystal she had begun to bleed uncontrollably, and he'd found himself unable to stop himself from helping her.

His hands had been swift and calm as he tore up the leaves of the Mana Leaf Herb, and he'd set the fibres into the socket before replacing the Crystal. Neither of them had the time for careful subtlety, and when he'd finished the process she had collapsed onto the ground and lay immobile for a full five minutes. When she'd recovered she had stared at him with a sort of evil triumph, and he'd understood just how far he'd been pulled under then.

She knew him too well for him to ever be able to out-manipulate her. She used everything she had at her disposal, while letting him know almost nothing about her in exchange. The value of information was too high, and she wasn't willing to let him pay the price even if he could do it. He was completely at her mercy, if only to keep his friends safe.

"_It seems we've reached a mutual understanding. I need you, and you need me. If you keep your head about your shoulders... we can benefit from this unorthodox relationship."_

"I need her like I need a sword in the head." Lloyd muttered under his breath sourly, and he paused at the exit of the city. The sprawling landscape before him beckoned, and he let out a tired breath as he made to leave windy city. His thoughts were a whirl inside of his head as he travelled on foot towards the woods that peppered the sides of the cliffs, and he spoke aloud thoughtfully, "I still don't have a clue what she means by needing me... but I do know that she's got some inner scheme going on... She can't be doing this stuff meaninglessly. The only question is what scheme it is..."

He sighed as he looked to the north, and pictured the next location that required his attention. Tasogare had left him with an explicit list of where he was meant to go, and he touched the bell that rested mournfully at the hallow of his throat. The Temple of Lightning awaited him, and he sighed as he turned the bell this way and that to hear its quiet chime. He had hated returning there to store the cache, and Sheena had been trembling the entire time they had been there. Even after forming the pact with Volt, and awakening her grandfather... she simply couldn't be there for too long before the memories came back with a terrible vengeance.

He wasn't looking forward to going back, and he hoped to make it quick and painless before continuing on. The travel would be quick to the northern island, and he was sure that once he was in that he'd be out just as soon. There'd be little to distract him in such an isolated area, and he was glad for once that the temple was so far out from civilization.

A second sigh escaped him, and he gazed into the dark night sky as he reached into his cloak to secure his Wing Pack. As he fingered with the clasp to release his Rheaird he found himself whispering quietly into the night, "Soon, Sheena... Soon... I'll be back... and I'll tell you what I should've. I promise."

* * *

**Flanoir**

**Olive Village Inn**

**Late Night**

"I knew you were still up."

Colette looked up in surprise at Sheena's voice, and she wondered with confusion how she failed to hear the ninja's footsteps approaching her. She pulled the warm coat she had bought in the shop closer around herself and edged over on the bench to allow Sheena a chance to sit next to her on the balcony. The dark-haired ninja smiled as she took the proffered seat, and she handed a steaming mug of hot chocolate to the Chosen in response. Colette couldn't hide a guilty smile as she accepted the mug and gratefully pressed her gloved hands against it to help soak up the warmth. "Thanks..."

"It's a bit cold out to be taking in the sights, isn't it?" Sheena asked out with a raised eyebrow, and she shrugged her own coat tighter about her body as she gave an unconscious shiver. She curled her bare hands eagerly around her own steaming mug of hot chocolate, and she took a long dreg of it to let the warmth seep into her.

"I know, but I can't help it." Colette smiled weakly in reply, and she breathed in the cool air even though it bit at her lungs to take in such a deep inhale. She found the pain to be sweet, and she closed her eyes as she explained softly, "Ever since I lost the ability to feel things... I've tried really hard to stop taking it for granted. It feels nice to sit outside in the snow and feel it fall on me."

Sheena furrowed her eyebrows worriedly at the weakness in Colette's voice, and she leaned over to gently nudge her with her shoulder. She held tight to her mug and murmured grumpily, "I take back what I just said... and I really hope you like the hot chocolate."

Colette giggled girlishly at Sheena's petulant attitude, but she was glad that the ninja was trying so hard. She leaned on her friend's shoulder in response and looked up at the star-filled night sky as she felt the tumult of emotions she had been trying to suppress working their way through her. After the interruption in Meltokio they hadn't had the chance to speak, and she was determined to take the chance before more could happen. She cast her eyes down on the freshly fallen snow that had begun to gather on the floor of the balcony, and she absently reached out to make a footprint in it. Her voice was quiet as she questioned hesitantly, "Sheena... is it... alright if we talk...? I mean... girl to girl?"

Sheena blinked with confusion at the words, and she allowed herself a moment to fret silently with worry. She couldn't remember the last time she and Colette had been able to spend true quality time together without having to worry about larger problems, and it made her chest ache for better times. She nodded her head before taking a gulp of her hot chocolate. The beverage scalded her tongue, but she spoke anyway, "Sure, Colette. What do you wanna talk about?"

"W-Well..." Colette lowered her eyes to stare into the chocolate depths of her mug, and she kicked sheepishly at the snow as she wracked her brain for what to speak about first. Her tongue seemed to know what words to form without her brain giving orders, and the words spilled from her mouth without control, "In Meltokio... when you told me that you didn't want Zelos doing anymore healing for you... I felt relieved. I know that you needed more healing though, and I was ashamed for feeling happy about it, but... I... I was worried about how much Zelos was pushing himself, and I didn't want him to keep healing you if it meant he'd be at risk to himself... and I wanted to say I'm sorry for that..."

Sheena felt her lips parting to form an o of surprise, and unbidden her face warmed as she realized the true meaning behind Colette's words. A feeling of startled amusement warmed her body, and she had to purse her lips together to stop herself from laughing or smiling. She slouched forward a bit and gave her still half-full mug a bit of a swish before saying with a hint of teasing, "Zelos was worrying you, was he?"

Colette, unaware of Sheena's ulterior motives, nodded her head profusely as she explained, "He was so worn out, Sheena. He looked so tired all the time, but he was so dedicated... I was worried he would overdo it." She faltered, and a frown covered her lips as she continued in a agonized whisper, "When Genis collapsed and Zelos wanted to jump in... The only thing I could think of was to hold him back. I remembered how Professor told me once that healing was really just mana transfer, and even the best healers have a lot of risks involved if they didn't control themselves... and I was scared when I thought about that happening to Zelos. Even... even though Genis was in danger... I was more scared about Zelos. I'm such a horrible person..."

Sheena smiled bitterly as all of the laughing play was stripped away when she saw how seriously Colette was taking her emotional growth. She closed her eyes as she remembered the moment when she had placed Lloyd's well-being above everything and anything she had ever held dear, and she trembled unconsciously at the memory of Mithos Yggdrasil's soul asserting control over her body. When she looked at Colette she had to muse that for her it was a much more radical way of facing one's emotions, and she felt sympathy welling up in her veins. She reached out to wind her arm firmly around the girl's slim shoulders, and she pulled her over to give her a hug. She rested her head against Colette's in a sisterly embrace and explained quietly, "Colette, there's really nothing scarier than realizing where you put your priorities. Especially when you're put into a do-or-die situation."

Colette frowned as she read the undercurrent of Sheena's words, and then her eyes widened in shock as she understood where Sheena was going with the conversation. Heat fled her hands to surge into her face, and out of her suddenly weak hands tumbled her mug into the snow. She shook her head from side to side rapidly as she exclaimed, "N-No, that's not it, Sheena! I-I-I...! M-Me and Zelos aren't...! Y-You and Lloyd are different!"

"H-Hey, who said anything about Lloyd?" Sheena snapped back almost instinctively, and she was aware of a ruddy flush burning its way into her face at the mere mention. She winced at her knee-jerk reaction and fell silent just as quickly as she had snapped, and frowned down into her drink. 'I never told him anything... I hinted and beat around the bush... but I never told him that I... that I...'

Colette's eyes softened as she watched Sheena's scowl melt into a truly sad frown, and she reached up to touch her gloved hand to Sheena's bare one. She gave her a gentle, reassuring squeeze, and then found herself asking, "You love him, don't you?"

When Sheena pulled away like she'd been shocked, Colette became truly aware of how much she wanted to hear the answer to her question. The ninja looked away, red in the face and scowling again, and the angel wondered if she was to hear a denial. Then, much to her surprise, the frustration and embarrassment melted away, and left the ninja with a forlorn sort of smile. Sheena untucked her arms and rested her hands flat on her knees to reveal the two rings that adorned each of her hands, and Colette inhaled sharply through her teeth as she took note of the diamond that sat nestled on her right.

Sheena's voice was quiet, and her words would have been inaudible for anyone without the angelic abilities that Colette possessed as she confessed the feelings that she had long since cradled to her heart like a semi-tamed venomous snake, "Yeah... Yeah... I... I love him."

Colette felt her heart give a sharp and angry squeeze inside of her chest, and she raised a hand there as she felt the pressure intensify until she could feel nothing else. Feelings she had hoped she had long since put to rest swelled inside of her and constricted their grip on her heart. She closed her eyes and took in a breath as she shoved the emotions back into their half-buried graves so that she could unearth them another time. At a better time. Forcing her eyes open, she looked to Sheena and watched at the ninja caressed the diamond ring, and she questioned softly, "Where did you get that ring, Sheena? Didn't you... give that to Lloyd?"

"I did." Sheena sighed, and she touched the precious stone with her bare fingertip to absorb the feeling of the smooth surface. She stared into its perfectly clear centre and swallowed the lump that grew in her throat at the bittersweet memories that soared in her mind. She didn't want to think about the good times when so much bad was happening, and though she wanted to believe... shadows of doubt were beginning to creep into her mind. "When I went to visit the fortune-teller in Triet... She told me to come here. Begged me, really. She kept on saying that something was here, and that I had to go... and so I went."

"That's why you were so focussed on coming here alone?" Colette's eyebrows furrowed, and she thought back to the determined gaze that had accompanied Sheena's exclamation that she go to Flanoir alone. At first her logical argument had made enough sense to grant her request... but Colette frowned a little at the idea of having been lied to. She didn't enjoy the idea that her friend hadn't trusted her, even if she understood the reasoning behind it.

"Yeah... When I arrived, I went to the terrace after talking to Yuan." Sheena sighed tiredly, and she cast her eyes towards the terrace that was a handful of stone throw's away from the inn's balcony. "I wanted... to think about the good times. When I came back to the inn I practically fell right asleep once I got there... and when I woke up..." Sheena stared at the ring on her finger, and she pulled it off to let it rest in her palm, "It was there beside me on the pillow. I thought I'd dreamt of Lloyd... but I'm starting to think maybe that he came to see me... and put the ring there as a message."

"What message?" Colette's frown grew more pronounced, and she scooped up her fallen mug and brushed the snow from it before she realized that Sheena wasn't sure of it herself. Her blue eyes narrowed slightly and she tried in vain to think of what would keep Lloyd form returning to their sides if he truly was out and free. "I can't imagine what would make him do that... it could have been a Desian, warning you to stop chasing after him though. If one of them has Flamberge then they could've taken his rings too."

"Yeah, I guess that's true." Sheena mumbled, and she curled her fingers around the rapidly cooling mug that she'd been ignoring before staring out into the distance at the snow. She hated having to be logical, especially when her emotions were running so wildly inside of her, but she understood the reason for the bitter poison. "I just... want to have any reason to believe he's out of that dungeon... Even if it doesn't add up, you know?"

"I understand." Colette reached out to squeeze the hand that held the diamond ring, and she nodded her head as she murmured, "We're going to find him, Sheena. Everything is going to sort itself out, and I'm sure that the truth will be something we can all swallow. For now... We just need to keep searching and keep our heads up... to stay strong. We're going to need that more than anything."

"Yeah... I guess you're right."

**AN**

**I hate healing arts. I really do. There could be so many ways to work it into a story, many different ways to consider its after-effects, and I still don't understand mana as well as I would like to. I'm sadly going to ask for some Willing Suspension of Disbelief here, because if there is a canon mana system description than I've obviously gone along and screwed it up... So, I beg for Artistic Liscence. Sigh... However, my muse is back, so yay? XD**

******Also, sidenote: I've recently moved into my new place, so there is much lulz to be had about me being on my own now. XD However it may make updating a bit scattered... For multiple reasons. My apologies, but in the meantime... Enjoy the updates, and please drop me a review!**  


**PS: MY STORY JEALOUSY GOT FEATURED ON TV TROPES UNDER FANFICTION FOR TOS. I SPAZZED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL.  
**

**~ Sky**


	17. Awaited Encounters

**Temple of Lightning**

**Afternoon**

The darkness of the dungeon was almost suffocating, and though the brief flashes of lightning illuminated the slim paths before his feet Lloyd was mostly immersed in darkness. He led the way through the storming temple, with the sound of thunder covering the following angel's quiet footsteps. He gritted his teeth in annoyance as he carefully put one foot in front of another, and he resisted the urge to look backwards at the angel who had shown up unexpectedly to follow him into the dungeon. He had hoped for freedom from her for at least several days, possibly weeks with her extensive orders, but she'd dashed it all with a single tiny smile when she'd arrived at his campsite hours earlier.

Lloyd had been surprised to see a healthy glow colouring her pale skin, and even more so when he'd noted that she had overcome her bout of illness. He was sure that the infection he'd seen when he treated her had yet to regress, as it had with Colette, and he couldn't help but think that her illness was as similar as it was different.

The crystallization of her skin hadn't been halted by her Rune Crest, and he suspected that somehow the Crest was incomplete if she had needed to use Mana Leaf Herb to stall her infection. She had given no explanation to his multitude of questions, and he'd known better than to ask her twice. After she'd recovered from the impromptu surgery he had been sent out from the cave, and this time he'd left without a word. He didn't want to see her, alive and recuperating, because he'd helped her get there. It was too much for him to see, even though he knew he'd be unable to escape it.

Now she was walking behind him as silently as possible as he led her deeper and deeper into the temple. They had passed the dais where Volt had been summoned and were moving further in, all the way to the collapsed bridge at the end of the dungeon. Behind the rubble he and Sheena had found a perfect spot, an indentation of sorts in the wall that they had dug out before storing away their cache.

Volt and Undine had sealed the hole, already innocuously hidden, and Lloyd ran his hand over the hilts of the blades that would form the sword needed to break that seal. He grimaced as he imagined how it would feel for Sheena to have those seals break apart, and he added another apology to the list of many that he planned to give to her once his hell was over. His shoulders sagged slightly, and he felt his body slouching under the combined weight of his emotions and thick-plated armour that he'd been outfitted with.

The thought only soured his mood, and he glanced down just as lightning struck an antenna from somewhere high above their path. The flash of light illuminated the dark cavern, and gave him a moment to see the lamellar leather leg and arm guards that he now wore underneath his black chain-mail vest. Each were emblazoned with the golden symbol of Cruxis, and as if to further drive the point home, the cloak he wore over his armour had the insignia plastered on the back.

Lloyd had noted that though Tasogare carried several of the symbols herself on her brass-plated armour and tough metal guards, hers were much fewer than his. Other soldiers of lower ranks likewise were decorated with the emblems, and Lloyd wondered if the higher-ranked soldiers were allowed to wear less of the marked armour. Tasogare certainly wasn't outfitted like any grunt, and Auin likewise had a personalized sort of armour. He scowled as he measured the hierarchy in his head, and he noted with great disdain that both angels were definitely at the top of the chain of command.

His thoughts were interrupted as they entered the cavern that would lead to the back room, and he heard an ominous rumble of thunder somewhere from above. His hand moved automatically to rest on Flamberge's hilt, and from behind he could hear Tasogare adjusting the straps on her cloak so her arms would be free.

He watched as she turned on the spot to face the way they had come, and as the lightning cut across the air above them he thought he spotted Tasogare smiling with anticipation. The sight was shadowed before he could take a closer look, and her voice called out after the thunder rolled, "Go on ahead, Irving. It seems we have company."

Lloyd's blood ran cold in his veins, and he gritted his teeth as he thought of who could have followed them into the temple. He had already seen the Renegades and ninja of Mizuho forming ranks around the caches, but he had hoped that they'd been quick enough to outrace them. He wanted to warn Tasogare off from starting a battle, but his place was well below hers, and she would likely only kill them just to spite him. He turned back towards the cache of Exspheres that were awaiting him, and he let out a tired sigh before hurrying into the darkness ahead of him.

Tasogare kept a lazy hand resting at her hip, and her eyes narrowed to better see through the darkness. Her angelic abilities allowed her to pick up the noise of footfall a good handful of kilometres from where she stood, and a quiet clang of metal followed the sound. Her golden eyes sparked fire in the darkness, and she moved forward into the shadows to intercept the force coming towards the cache.

Her feet carried her through the darkness with no effort, and the flash of lightning allowed her to move with confidence. She was bent low in a hunter's run, and she moved with easy strides through the darkness while using the lightning as a guide through the temple.

A deafening clap of thunder erupted from above, causing the angel to halt abruptly as she lost the sound of her enemy's movements. A grimace pulled at her lips as her sensitive ears began ringing in protest at the loudness of the storm. It was easy enough to ignore the thunder when she wasn't focussing so intently on tracking, but opening her senses had also made her vulnerable to the double-edged sword of her angelic abilities.

The ringing pain numbed her hearing, and she was forced to rely solely on sight as her ears began recovering from the rumble of thunder. She was slightly comforted by the fact that her moments would be likewise disguised because of the storm, but her annoyance at being inconvenienced was much more powerful.

As she crept in the darkness, staying near the wall to better camouflage her dark clothing, she could faintly see the glow of the opened room that led to dias where Volt once slept. The storm was much calmer in the wider areas, and she folded herself expertly against the wall before calming her heartbeat and slowing her breathing to hide her presence.

She relaxed for a short moment before gingerly sharpening her focus again and allowing her ears to pull in more noise. Luckily the thunder was now distant enough to give her less interference, and she closed her eyes to allow her focus to intensify.

It only took a moment before the soft whisper of a conversation carrying in the distance to reach her, and unbidden her lips pulled back into a tiny smile.

"... if someone is here. I was sure that I heard something, but... the thunder is so loud..." The voice was quiet and sad, almost lamenting, and the undercurrent of disappointment came in strong and clear to the hidden angel. The feminine whisper was greatly apologetic as she continued sadly, "I'm sorry that I can't be more useful here."

"The storm would incapacitate anyone with your abilities, angel. Don't blame yourself so much." A second voice comforted the first with a chuckle, and the gentle rebuff was followed with a ruffling noise of a hand on hair. In sharp contrast to the action though was the noise of metal scraping against metal, and then the familiar click of a sword leaving its sheath. "If there _is_ someone here, then we'll be more than ready for 'em."

"But are you sure that's a good idea, Zelos?" The first voice piped up a second time, and there was clear worry reverberating in every word as she added on softly, "I mean... I know you're feeling better now, Sheena, but you still need to be careful... and the others are still going to be an hour or so before they can get here to begin with."

Tasogare sucked in air sharply through her teeth in an effort to cut a curse short before she could utter it, and her hands curled tight into claws at her sides. Her mind began racing like a dragon through the sky, and her eyes narrowed to slits as her hand reached reflexively for the sword at her hip. However, with great effort, she pulled her hand away and instead let it rest on the ground as she lowered herself into a half-crouch. 'Damn...'

" I'll be okay, Colette. You've watched me train for the past week and a half, and Raine gave me a clean bill of health yesterday on top of that. You don't need to worry." Sheena gently scolded the worrying blond, and again the sound of someone ruffling another's longer hair followed her comment. After a beat of silence the ninja let out a sigh of exasperation before grudgingly muttering, "Fine, fine. I'll hang back today, just to make sure."

"You are whipped." Zelos laughed aloud at Sheena's defeated words, and the crisp sound of fist striking head echoed immediately after his comment. The Chosen made a noise of hurt and misery, and it was quickly followed by a rustling of clothing as he grabbed onto another and moaned unhappily, "What was that for? I was just making an observation of how close you are... There was no need to punch me..."

"Shut up, you idiot. You're just making things worse for yourself by hiding behind Colette like a–"

Her comment was cut off by a sudden roar of thunder that was abnormally loud for the openness of the area. Tasogare hissed reflexively and raised a free hand to cup the ear that hadn't been luckily pressed to the wall as she'd been hiding herself. Faintly she heard Colette yelping aloud as she felt the identical pain that Tasogare was experiencing when the deafening noise cut their angelic abilities to the quick.

"Ughn..." Tasogare groaned as the ringing completely filled her mind and made it difficult to think clearly through the pain. Any noise that she heard was irritatingly muted, and she grimaced as she tried to quell the pain in order to focus on what was happening with the others. "D-Dammit..."

"Colette–"

"Are you–"

"Shh!" Colette hushed the worried voices abruptly, and Tasogare felt her stomach clench instinctively at the terse tone the angel suddenly had. Her anxiety was confirmed when the blond called out firmly and with a hint of worry, "There's someone here! Come on, they're close!"

"May Cruxis forever be damned for this." Tasogare uttered scathingly under her breath, and she pushed herself up and to her feet. She knew the shadows well enough to hide amongst them, and a hand moved slowly into her chain-mail vest. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she heard the footsteps approaching with rapid speed as lightning flashed again.

The second the lightning began to vanish she took her chance, and swept out from the shadows and levelled the dagger she had withdrawn from her vest. The fading lightning gave her a perfect view of her target, and with deadly accuracy she lobbed her weapon with as much strength as she dared.

Her timing was perfect, and as the thunder rolled she saw the blond angel turn, having heard the hiss of the dagger flying through the air. A flash of light from the angel's hands illuminated the dark hallway for a split moment, and a clank of metal on metal sounded immediately afterward. The dagger clattered uselessly to the ground, and Colette turned about with the same movement she had used to knock away the dagger with her chakram. Her baby blue eyes were narrowed, and she turned her body completely to face Tasogare as Sheena and Zelos moved at the same time to fully meet the angel in the entrance to the hallway.

"You." Sheena's voice was acidic, and her lips pulled back into a terrifying scowl as her hands became tight on her battle cards. Her body shifted automatically into a battle-ready pose, and almost as if in warning her just-healed scars began to ache.

"Yes, me." Tasogare answered quietly, and her sharp tawny eyes flickered from Colette to Zelos before she nodded her head in a polite gesture. She wearily noted the sword hanging alert in Zelos' right hand, and the pair of faintly-glowing chakrams that Colette was holding at attention. She greeted them in a painfully calm voice as she adjusted her posture, "I believe we've yet to be formally introduced."

"We know who you are, General Tasogare." Zelos replied coldly, and he side-stepped almost casually to close the distance between himself, Colette and Sheena. He glanced down to see the fallen dagger that she had introduced herself with and commented quietly, "You dropped something, it seems. Here." His hand clenched tightly about the hilt of his sword, and with a flick of his wrist he picked the dagger up and tossed it back at Tasogare with his blade.

Tasogare's face showed no emotion as she effortlessly snatched the dagger from the air before it could hit her in the chest. She spun it once on her finger before gripping it by the handle, and nodded in thanks to the angered Chosen. She glanced to the left to see Colette eying her with confusion, while Sheena was outright trying to kill her with her gaze alone. She reached into her vest to pull out a second dagger, and she held them both loosely in her right hand as she murmured, "It seems you outnumber me... May I ask what you plan to do now that you have me?"

A beat of surprised silence passed across the trio, and Colette frowned noticeably and she looked searchingly from Sheena to Zelos. Both of the Tethe'allans seemed ready to battle, and she could sense the cold hostility coming from the brunette angel before her as well. Still, her mind was running wild with confusion and uncertainty as she gazed at the angel who was standing so nonchalantly before them.

Impulsively, Colette found her arms lowering without her permission. Her grip on the deadly chakrams became loose, and finally nonexistent. The halo-shaped weaponry gave a protesting spark of light before they began to shrink, and within a heartbeat they returned to adorning her wrists as bracelets again. She heard Zelos calling for her sharply, but she ignored it as she took a measured step towards the angel and questioned, "What are you doing here?"

Tasogare blinked, seemingly caught off guard by Colette's approach and to her inner horror she found herself asking in reply, "Excuse me?" She took a step backwards in response to Colette's advance, and took out another dagger and moved it to her free hand in preparation to attack. Still, it didn't seem to deter her angelic enemy, rather it seemed to only bolster her initiative.

"I don't want to fight." Colette stopped her advance, and her hands moved on impulse to touch her bracelets but after a pause she dropped them. She felt Zelos reaching to grab her shoulder, and she ducked away before turning to confront him in a surprisingly clear voice, "You said it yourself that what she's doing doesn't make any sense! Why would she rescue Professor Raine's mother and give her back for less than the amount of Mana Leaf Herb than she asked? If we talk, maybe we won't have to fight!"

"Heh..." Tasogare let out a soft, almost bittersweet laugh, and this time she was the one to advance instead of giving way. Colette skittered backward almost immediately, and her fingers slid around the rims of each of her bracelets to prepare for use. Slowly Tasogare spun her daggers around her own fingers, and her voice was deadly as she spoke in a smoothly polite tone, "Your optimism can serve you well in many situations, but unfortunately the battlefield is not the place for it. I have no interest in talking with you, or consorting about my motives or desires. At this moment, you are in my way, and I will have you out of it whether or not you want to fight me."

"Bring it." Sheena snarled angrily, and she took a step forward to join Colette in facing off with the angel. A thin stream of blood trickled through her fingers from her too-tight grip on her battle cards, but she didn't seem to notice. Even the low rumbling of the storm in the distance didn't seem to affect her one bit.

"I'm not usually one to fight a woman..." Zelos interrupted smoothly, and he used his sword to ward off the women standing before him. He took a casual step forward, his eyes burning icy fire, and placed himself completely before his comrades and in front of Tasogare while continuing just as icily, "but you've warranted it. _I'll_ be the one to stand in your way today."

"Zelos–"

"She has friends deeper in the temple. You need to go and find 'em." Zelos cut over Sheena's protest, and with his eyes never leaving Tasogare's, he hefted his sword and pointed it at the angel's chest in obvious challenge. He continued explaining in the same nonchalant tone from before, "I know you got an issue to settle, Sheena... but you're the only one who can break the seals. So... leave her to me."

"Brave words... but do you think I'll let them leave?" Tasogare questioned with a raised eyebrow as she watched the two young women begin to retreat quietly but grudgingly at Zelos' command. She advanced with a cold and calculating expression, but Zelos stepped into her path and held his sword at an angle in wait to strike the first blow. Tasogare raised both eyebrows this time at this move, and her voice held just the tiniest hints of respect as she mused, "You really are intent, aren't you, Wilder?"

"Get going." Zelos ordered without taking his eyes from his foe. Though he was no elf he could still sense the pressure of her mana threatening to break over him, and he was determined to show not even an ounce of a reaction. The pent-up emotions he had carefully been nurturing close to his breast were ready to spill over, and he welcomed the hatred and bloodlust he felt towards the angel he was certain was responsible for his sister's injuries, and his friend's great emotional and physical pain.

"Zelos..." Colette whispered as Sheena began moving backwards and into the depths of the temple behind them. She felt the ninja's restraining and gently pulling hand on the back of her collar, but her feet resisted moving when she stared so helplessly at the redhead's back. She didn't need to see his face to know that he was consumed with anger and motivated by revenge, and it scared her to leave him alone with such ugly emotions driving him. Even worse, she could see that his enemy had no such emotions to distract her, or leave her blinded, and it left her Tethe'allan counterpart at a grave disadvantage even while it gave him an edge.

The sheer emotion in her voice cut Zelos to the quick, and it allowed a bubble of logic to pop near the surface of his chaotic heart. He forcibly swallowed back the bile that burned in his throat, and somehow he managed to make his voice blase and smooth with a confidence he didn't really feel, "Don't worry, angel. I'll be back before you can even miss me. Now be a good girl and go on with Sheena."

Sheena's hand had become tighter, and she tugged with a firm insistence that accentuated the seriousness of the situation. Colette allowed herself to be turned about, and she forced herself to keep her eyes on the path before her. She began moving with Sheena down the hall, but before she could stop it the words flowed from her lips and called down to Zelos as they raced deep into the temple, "Don't keep me waiting, Zelos!"

There was a brief moment that fell over the two angels, and ice-coloured fire stared into stoic and firm honey. A tiny lifting of the lips assured Zelos that the general of Cruxis was taking some sort of pleasure from the rushed and confused scene before her. He scowled at that, even though he felt slightly relieved that she had allowed his two comrades to leave without raising a fight. He began to walk, pacing the length of the hallway as he spoke, "I gotta admit, now I really am curious about you. It's a pity you won't talk, but then again, I don't think I'd care if you did. I'm going to kill you for hurting my sister."

"Unfortunately for you, Wilder, someone else has already staked a claim to my life." Tasogare chuckled ruefully as she remembered the look of Lloyd's utter hatred that still sent her blood racing ages later through her veins. She advanced forward, and as her hands tightened on the hilt of her blades a soft humming set up as a soft purple current began flickering along the metal. The electrical charge quickly grew to actual sparks dancing to and fro on the daggers, and she sprang forward to begin with a lethal hiss, "I'm afraid I can't allow you to collect on your promise!"

* * *

**Inner Temple of Lightning**

Lloyd grimaced as he hefted the Eternal Sword and pointed it towards the invisible barrier. He found himself closing his eyes, as he always had, as he focussed the sword's power into the tip before lunging forward in a stabbing motion. The blade sank into the barrier and seemed to disappear into it until the hilt that Lloyd clutched was all that remained. His arms shook with effort as he kept it in place, and faintly he could hear outraged hissing as the mana of the Summon Spirits was ripped asunder by the power of the blade.

A roar of thunder was combined with the gurgle of rushing water, and finally came to a head as steam and bolts of electricity escaped the broken seal. Lloyd pulled back in time to escape being scalded by a particularly large jet of steam, and the sword came with him as the seal crumbled in spurts of disintegrating mana. He winced at the noise of the natural order being disrupted so violently, and he mentally made his ninetieth apology since starting the horrid business of working underneath Tasogare.

His left hand loosened on the blade, and he allowed his focus on the sword to wane until the grip of keeping the Eternal Sword vanished entirely. At once the mighty blade gave a tiny shudder, and then separated into the Vorpal Sword and Flamberge. Lloyd returned them quickly to their respective sheathes, and he knelt to examine the large sack that had been hidden away in the wall and behind the seal.

The bulging sack looked exactly as it had been left; thrown haphazardly in the indent and spilling over from an untied neck. Lloyd let out a quiet sigh at his carelessness, and reached in to scoop the fallen gems that had escaped the bag. He remembered well what had made him throw the bag so unceremoniously away, and he winced as if he could still feel Sheena's fingernails biting into his upper arm as a moment of fright overtook her stoic mask.

Regardless of the peace she had made with Volt, even with the return of her Grandfather, she had yet to shake her fear of thunderstorms. Just returning to the temple had taken most of her courage, and she'd managed a strong front until a too-close lightning strike had her crying out in alarm. She'd clung to his arm for a solid minute before recovering, and though he hadn't given it much thought before... Lloyd realized that it had taken more than just courage for her to take a hold of him.

_The flash was blinding, and Lloyd instinctively closed his eyes and raised a hand to shield them. The sound of thunder clapping followed almost seconds afterward, and on the heels of the roar he faintly heard a startled yelp, followed by a vicelike grip on his right arm. Lloyd opened his eyes to see Sheena cowering at his side, her eyes wide with fright and astonishment, and much to his own, she was pressed up unnaturally close to him._

_Either not noticing, or caring, Sheena pressed her face against his shoulder as those horrible memories flickered like bad imaging on a holographic screen. The scent of burnt flesh in her nose, and the taste of metal on her tongue overwhelmed her. She saw pools of blood underneath charred bodies, broken bones and heard screams of agony from those yet to die, and then saw the eyes; wide and gaping, staring and unseeing..._

"_Sheena, it's alright." His voice cut through the painful haze in her brain, and when she forced her eyes open the first sight she was greeted to was his worried face close to hers. Lloyd wound an arm slowly, carefully, about her shoulders and pulled her close against his side as he repeated soothingly, "It's okay. I'm here for you. Don't pay attention to the storm. We're almost done here. Just focus on me, and it'll all be good."_

_For a moment as lightning struck again, Lloyd was scared that he would lose her again to her past, but her tawny eyes sharpened with focus even if her face was blanched white. Her grip slowly loosened on his shirt, and he heard her murmur something in the language of her people before she let go completely. She still seemed jumpy, but when she let out a breath and fixed him with that stubborn smile he found himself relieved. _

"_I'll... be alright. Let's get this over with and get the hell out of here."_

"That was a lifetime ago." Lloyd mused quietly, and he stared almost sadly at the bag of Exspheres that awaited his hand. He didn't know what immediate future they had in store for them, but he was determined to release them from whatever evil fate Yggdrasil and Tasogare had in mind for them as soon as possible. With this thought driving his resolve he reached to take the bag by the neck.

A whistle of something fast flying through the air awoke the fighter's instinct in him, and he hit the ground hard to narrowly avoid a battle card embedding itself in the wall where his head had been seconds before. Understanding and horror dawned on him as he recognized the ancient inscriptions written on the diamond-shaped card, and slowly he turned around to have is worst fears realized.

Sheena stood at the entrance to the ruined room, and her eyes were wide with understanding and realization as he turned to face her. The second card she had planned to throw was held in a limp arm that rested by her side now, and her entire body had gone stiff yet slack as her mind tried to understand the scene before her.

A sense of joy and relief flooded her heart at the sight of him standing there, and she knew for certain it was him because of those adust eyes and messy hair she knew like her own reflection. The happiness however was brutally quashed by revulsion and shock, because his hand had been reaching for the bag of Exspheres they had hidden away to eventually give to Yuan. She saw the emblem of Cruxis burning like the sun on the back of the strange dark armour he was wearing in place of his customary red outfit, and her stomach flipped sickeningly as the words of her friends came crashing down on her with a new strength.

"_From what information that we have received, I can only reach three conclusions; Neil, the governor-general of Palmacosta has been murdered. Second, the weapon that murdered him causes injuries that are reminiscent of the wounds Flamberge can inflict. Third, Lloyd's voice has been identified, and it can be assumed that he was the one who murdered Neil. All of the evidence supports this theory."_

"_Lloyd, as all of us are, is perfectly capable of committing murder. He could very well have killed Neil, the evidence that Yuan has presented us with is very convincing. We may not have a motive, but we do have everything else needed to secure the truth. We can't simply rule out Lloyd because of our affection for him."_

"_The Renegades are almost one hundred percent certain that's he guilty. Her Highness is pretty much convinced too, which is a scary thing considering how much faith she has in him. So do I think he's guilty? Honestly, I don't know."_

"_On the night Neil was murdered there were Exspheres stolen from the academy. If... If Lloyd was there... then the Exspheres that were stolen must have been stolen by him."_

The words she had so desperately tried to deny and ignore seemed to sneer at her from inside of her memories, and her body began trembling as he turned about completely to face her with an expression made of stone. She wasn't sure if the detached look in his eyes hurt her more than the betrayal of seeing him in the midst of a crime, and abruptly she was very glad that she was coerced Colette into guarding the entrance while she surprised 'the thief'. She wasn't sure who would have taken it worse, and she was only happy she had spared the blond angel the heartrending experience.

The silence seemed to stretch on forever, and Sheena was numbly aware of tears burning in her eyes as she searched in vain for something, anything, to say. She wanted to scream out, beg and demand for answers, while another part of her was cold and dead inside from the sight before her. Yet another wanted to collapse in emotion, weep for the betrayal, and still one more wanted to embrace him for the knowledge that he was safe and whole, consequences be damned.

But she couldn't speak. She was at war with herself emotionally, but her body understood the situation better than her heart ever could. It saw an opponent who was ready for battle, and it steeled itself for a fight while bringing her arms up and bending her body in an offensive posture. She swallowed hard, tasting her salty tears on the tongue that flicked out to moisten her dry lips, and her hands trembled with the strength of the grip she had on her weaponry.

Lloyd inwardly felt his heart breaking at the look of abject anguish on her face, and the deadened betrayal that haunted her eyes. So long ago she had stated her hatred for traitors and liars, and as he stood before her in the darkness of his sins he wondered what exactly she saw. He swallowed back the hard lump in his throat before Tasogare's words, honeyed and poisoned murmured in his ear.

"_Those 'messages' we left weren't only for your friends, Irving. They were for you. The only reason why they live now is because you are here. Remain here, and they will continue to live. It was easy to injure them... imagine how easy it will be to kill them."_

She would die if he wasn't careful. Tasogare would show no mercy to anyone who glimpsed his face... and in the feverish haze that he still couldn't see through from that night in Palmacosta... Lloyd knew that she would force a repeat of Neil's murder if he dared disobey her orders. She had no qualms about sacrificing his comrades, and worse, she would leave their fates up to him. He could only imagine what horrors Sheena would have to endure if she tried to stop him and he let her succeed, or worse, if he fled without completing his objective.

To protect her meant to hurt her, and it killed him as he momentarily felt the decision trying to weigh itself when it had already been made. He couldn't let Tasogare touch her, even if it meant becoming something he hated most. In the depths of this grim understanding he caught a glimpse of his father, standing alone in the ruins of the Tower of Salvation, smiling a sad smile as he bade farewell to him... and he saw himself there. A traitor to his ideals and convictions, if only to protect what he loved the most, even if it ways deemed foolish. For the fate of his family meant more to him than anything else, even his own life.

It was that image that forced Lloyd's hands to move, and he reached to grasp the hilts of his blades before pulling them free of their scabbards. He moved his feet into his favoured stance, and with effort he made his voice robotic as he called across the room to the stunned summoner in a vain effort to dissuade her, "You can't beat me. Turn around and don't look back. Forget you ever saw me. I don't want to fight. I don't... want to hurt you."

Sheena let out a slow, mournful and bitter laugh as she shook her head at the absurdity of his words. Her body coiled to spring, and as she handled her cards expertly she was numbly aware of something breaking inside of her. Her voice was low but laden with every ounce of her turmoil, "It's a little late for you to not want to hurt me now."

She moved first, her usual grace gone to be replaced with choppy and furious movements that Lloyd could barely evade. He ducked and wove underneath and around, gritting his teeth at the injustice of it all. Tears flew in the air in a silver stream as Sheena whirled to confront him, only for her right card to crash against the body of Flamberge as Lloyd raised it to defend himself.

The impact sent a jarring pain through Sheena's hand, but she ignored it as she leapt backwards and out of range. Lloyd's eyes were narrowed and body stiff as he held up his blades, and as they stepped away for a momentary reprieve, Lloyd found himself whispering, begging, "Go. Don't make me do this. I don't want to fight!"

"_I'm _making _you_ do this?" A note of hysteria broke through Sheena's shocked words, and this time she leapt forward and met him again in their deadly dance. He moved with a speed she didn't anticipate, but her extensive training allowed her to perform a half-turn just in time to miss the flat side of his sword smashing against the wall. The miss gave her a chance to retaliate, and she took it by striking out with a flat palm, and the Divine Judgement glowed red as she hissed, "Demon Seal!"

The resulting wave of pressure from the attack sent Lloyd stumbling, and he gasped aloud in pain as a rib cracked ominously in his chest. For a moment he saw emotion flicker in the eyes of the woman who so long ago would blush any time their gazes met, and he understood what it was he would need to do.

She couldn't take him on in single combat like this, and they both knew it. He was the better fighter if solely judged on power, while she had the advantage of speed and dexterity... but she wasn't performing at her best. Even if pushed by anger, she was holding back, moving sloppily, and from the look of momentary worry in her expression... She regretted hurting him. They could battle forever, both trying and failing to come to terms with unspoken words and unrealized emotions, and it would get them nowhere.

He ground his teeth together as he staggered ahead, a hand resting on his ribs where she had struck him. The emotion was wiped from her face when he met her eyes this time, and he stared into a face he hadn't seen since they had first met. The resolute assassin she had introduced herself as had returned, and he hated himself to the core of his being for locking away her kind heart. His voice was level, if painful, when he called out across the battlefield again, "I'm going to ask one last time, Sheena... Don't make me do this. Please. Run away. Don't fight."

"I can't." Sheena answered coldly, and her hands began to shake as she forced herself forward to continue. His eyes flickered once in response to her words, and she grit her teeth together as she redoubled her grip on her cards. Her body moved on autopilot, forcing her to leap the distance between them to slash at the armour that he wore, "I won't run away!"

Lloyd swallowed the curse he wanted to throw as his body lurched back to avoid her attack, and instinctively he rolled to the ground just as she tried to strike him again. Her sense of loyalty and justice wouldn't allow her to run away and leave him to his crime. Even if she couldn't stop him, she wouldn't give up.

The thought bolstered his resolve, and he sidestepped her next attack before bringing his hand down to catch her arm before she would withdraw. He tugged hard while turning his body, and she stumbled into his chest as he brought Flamberge up to her throat. The crimson blade radiated a deadly warmth as it pressed carefully against her unprotected skin, and Lloyd twisted Sheena's arm behind her back to keep her firmly pinned against him.

Sheena growled furiously as she struggled against him once, but the heat from the blade at her throat became more intense at her movements. The edge of the blade threatened to cut her skin in addition to the fiery mana swirling inside, and slowly, angrily, she stopped. Her arm was aching from Lloyd's iron grip on her, and she could feel the pulse of his breath on her earlobe as he restrained her.

Her stomach clenched as she felt his chest pressing firmly against her back to keep her fully immobilized, and she wondered if it was revulsion or desire that made her body react to his nearness. She closed her eyes as her heartbeat picked up speed, and she cursed herself for being unable to ignore his physical nearness. However, the tightness in her chest allowed her to focus, and the anger, sadness and despair filled her as a long silence stretched between them. He held her tightly, and the blade at her throat stopped her from trying to escape, and she found herself asking in a low hiss, "Are you going to kill me, Lloyd?" A low and bitter laugh escaped her lips when he didn't answer, and she murmured with defeat, "I didn't want to believe it... and this is what I get for it."

Lloyd flinched inwardly at the disappointment in her voice, but his body was stone and didn't react to his internal pain. His arm was steady as he levelled his sword carefully at her throat, and his fingers gripped her forearm just a bit tighter behind her back. He could feel her body hitch as she breathed, and momentarily he allowed himself to imagine how it would feel to embrace her properly. Regardless of the tension of the situation he still felt a strange pleasure at having her so closely pressed against him, and finally he found the words appropriate for the mire of feelings and sensation that had plagued him since he'd thought her dead.

Attraction. Desire. Love.

He loved her. There was no doubt to it now, and the thought that should've completed him and given him a sense of relief and pleasure... only sent the last dagger through the remains of his heart. He closed his eyes tightly and allowed the thought he wished he could voice aloud to wrap secretly around his mind. It didn't matter that he was so painfully late to the realization, because he was determined to say it one day, in a different moment and place. He'd keep her safe from the shadows until that moment.

"I'm sorry, Sheena." He released her arm and curled his hand into a tight fist as the Sorcerer's Ring began to hum with the electric current it currently possessed. He drew back his hand, preparing to sink the charge into the woman in his arms, only to see a wreath of halo-like objects flying towards him at a shocking speed.

"_Angel Feathers_!"

Lloyd swore before his grip doubled on Sheena and they dropped like a stone to avoid the angelic spell that would've laid them both flat against the wall had they been standing. The ninja rolled away from him the second his hold slackened upon hitting the floor, and she leapt to her feet just as he did at the far end of the room.

"Sheena!" Colette's voice whipped out through the dungeon, and both warriors turned to see the angel standing by the doorway. In her hands her chakrams glowed with the aftereffects of her angelic spell, and her gossamer pink wings were fully extended and fluttering. She swept across the floor to join Sheena's side, and her eyes were full of pain as she faced Lloyd with arms stiff and hands clenched about her weapons. She didn't need to speak for her emotions to be made clear, as the pain, disappointment and betrayal were written all over her face.

Lloyd averted his eyes for a moment at the expression on his childhood friend's face, but quickly he summoned his resolve again and tilted his chin. He couldn't allow them to see his regret or indecision, it would be too costly. Regardless of his mask they would pursue him, but it would be easier if they didn't suspect his motives. To keep them safe he was more than willing to play the role of the villain.

Colette opened her mouth to speak, but no words would escape her. Lloyd's adust eyes were cold to her, almost lifeless. The expression didn't suit him, and she was overwhelmed with the uncharacteristic urge to strike it from his face. Everything that had happened in the last two months were so inherently wrong that it took all of Colette's restraint to keep from screaming out in denial.

'How could this have happened?'

The moment was broken as Lloyd reached into his vest, and for a moment a flicker of life returned to his eyes as he gazed at his former comrades who were so ready to fight again. His hand closed about the flash grenade he had been given for emergencies just like these, and he bowed his head and closed his eyes as he repeated quietly, "I'm sorry."

The grenade smashed against the floor, and the light that burst from it filled the dark room with a violent fury. Lloyd dodged about the startled forms of his comrades for the door, and he counted inwardly back from seventy as he began to spring down the hallway. He knew that the two young women couldn't have come to the temple alone, and it worried him to think about who it was that Tasogare was likely stalling.

As he raced down the hall he could hear the sound of battle not far ahead, and he grimaced as he picked up his pace. Sheena and Colette wouldn't be far behind him, and only if they managed to get out quickly enough would he and Tasogare manage to escape to the air. This thought spurred him on, and as he rounded the bend he spotted the war that was waging in the hall between his angelic superior and the Chosen of Tethe'alla.

Blood dotted the stone path that the two fought on, but it was impossible to tell who it belonged to. Zelos bore several knife wounds to the arms and chest, while Tasogare had a long gash in her cheek, and a stab wound marring her right arm. It dangled almost useless by her side, but she still held a firm grip on her daggers even with the injured limb. She was a whirlwind of metal as she danced in and out of Zelos' range, but he pursued her with a determined scowl, and his Last Fencer sang through the air in pursuit of finding a home in her flesh.

"You're not omniscient, despite what you pull, angel!" Zelos growled as his blade sliced a hole through her chainmail sleeve, and the blade came away dripping her blood when they parted from their tango of destruction. He watched with a dark satisfaction as she gripped at her injured arm with her good hand in an attempt to stem her wound, and he levelled his blade despite the pain of the cuts in his chest. She was a formidable foe, but he had made her bleed and rid the mysterious aura of a wraithlike figure beyond the reach of him and his comrades. "Your blood is as red as mine!"

Tasogare's lips pulled back in a smile of grim pleasure, and her heart thundered loud in her ears with adrenalin and pain. The wounds inflicted in her body were little compared to her infection, but it didn't stop the annoyance they caused. Her right arm was now nearly useless, and as proficient as she was with her left... She wasn't pleased about her sudden handicap. It was a struggle to keep a handle on her dagger, and blood was trickling through her fingers, only worsening her trouble.

Zelos smirked as he noted her scowl of annoyance, but he knew better than to continue the battle with such arrogance. She had fought him to a near standstill with daggers when she had a sword resting on her hip, and never once during the battle had she reached for it. He knew that she wouldn't carry a weapon she didn't intend to use, and he was incredibly weary of it. As a swordsman himself, Zelos could tell by her build and stance that his enemy was proficient in swordplay, and so he was honestly puzzled by her method of refusing to fight with her blade.

She was a strange foe, and one he wasn't used to fighting. She showed no emotion save for an adrenalin-fuelled pleasure for battle, and annoyance at her wounds. She kept a calm head instead of fighting on instinct, and she had a skill unlike anything he'd seen before. However, he had proved that she could bleed as easily as he. "You're going to die here today, angel!"

Tasogare made to growl out a reply only to be stopped when she saw Lloyd slowly moving alongside the wall from the chamber where the Exspheres had been hidden. The haunted look in his eyes told the angel all she needed to know, and her lips thinned into a scowl. 'Another temple closed... Heads will be rolling for this failure.' She moved silently to intercept Zelos' line of sight, but from the footfall behind Lloyd she estimated she only had a handful of minutes before Colette and Sheena interrupted their battle.

She cursed quietly at the timing, but she had already set up a failsafe. With a dagger in her good hand, she gave it a quick twirl before throwing it hard at the unprepared angel. Zelos moved instinctively to block it with his blade, triggering the explosive mechanism inside. The bombed dagger exploded with a strong electrical charge, knocking the angel clean off of his feet. Tasogare wasted no time in leaping right over him and for the doors, calling for the general she had positioned in the shadows, "Dvalinn, you useless wretch!"

Instantaneously the general in question seemed to materialize from the shadows at his lady's call. His brilliant emerald eyes were wild with the light of impending battle, and his bow was ready in hand with an arrow in the other. He sidestepped neatly as Tasogare and Lloyd rushed by him to escape, and he chuckled as they vanished into the shadows while Zelos recovered and made to give chase.

Zelos' eyes widened as he recognized the angel who had delivered the message to Raine two weeks earlier, and his teeth gnashed together as he understood the fool Tasogare had made of him. The dirty blond-haired archer stood directly in the way of the entrance, giving the angel all the time she would need to escape. He could hinge a hope on the others arriving in time to stop them, but he wagered that they were still half an hour or so behind. The redheaded angel cursed quietly, but he also knew he still had a chance to capture his revenge on the archer who had nearly gotten his sister killed.

"You won't be getting by me today, Chosen." Dvalinn informed the advancing redhead with a deadly grin, and he easily notched the arrow he had been holding into his bow and aimed it dead-centre on Zelos' chest. He noted however with a frown that Zelos hadn't stopped his advance, and his hand drew back the bowstring in preparation for a shot. "General Tasogare is already long gone. Are you seriously going to combat me in the condition you're in?"

"Injuries or no... I intend to kill you, and then your general, for what you ordered to happen in Meltokio." Zelos answered in a low and dangerous snarl, and his eyes took on a fearsome, almost animalistic look. He sank into a half-crouch as he drew his sword parallel to his side as if he made to thrust forward. His voice shook with brutal force when he finished quietly, "You won't get away for injuring my sister, you vermin."

"Ah, so it was you that killed my lieutenant. I was disappointed to learn that the boy couldn't hit his mark. He showed such promise, too." Dvalinn remarked with a detached sort of interest, and he tilted his head as if the news was mildly concerning. He readjusted his aim now that Zelos had paused, but his eyes flickered over his shoulder to see two figures moving full-tilt down the hallway towards them. His lips pursed tight as he measured the odds, but Tasogare's steely orders were firm and he wasn't about to flee only to face her wrath later. Now, he carefully eyed the already infuriated Chosen, and pushed the last button that needed to be pressed, "Still, your little sister using herself as a shield still got the point across. She isn't dead, is she? I heard she was a pretty little thing."

A wordless roar of fury and bloodlust escaped Zelos at this, and with only the image of his enemy dead in his mind, he surged forward. The first arrow notched in the bow sang a deadly hymn through the air to bury itself with impressive force in his right shoulder. The blow only made the angel stagger slightly in his charge, and his blade snarled as an electric charge danced over the steel.

Dvalinn shrank backwards in alarm at Zelos' unstoppable rage, and his eyes widened as his hand moved to pick a second arrow from his quiver. However the redhead was already upon him, and the angel pulled his bow across his chest to protect himself from the lightning-inspired thrust of his enemy's sword.

The force-field about the bow partially absorbed the attack, but the pressure behind it sent Dvalinn staggering backwards. Zelos, ignoring the pain in his body and the ringing in his ears, pressed forward with a bellow as he raised his sword over his head and sent it crashing down on the bow Dvalinn tried to raise.

The protection about the weapon cracked underneath the force of Zelos' blow, and Dvalinn cried out in shock as the blade sliced through the bow. It fell from the hands of the angel to the floor, but Dvalinn reached for an arrow and lunged forward to bury it into Zelos' unprotected chest.

Blood flew into the air, splattering both foes as they locked into a macabre embrace of battle. One arrow was plunged halfway into Zelos' stomach, with the angel's original target left clean. The reasoning for this was the sword that protruded clean through his chest, and the two stood together for a long beat of stunned silence.

Dvalinn laughed hoarsely, and blood dribbled down his bearded chin as he felt the seriousness of his wound. He was dying on his feet, with his beloved bow in tatters just behind him and an arrow buried in the stomach of his foe. He closed his eyes as he jerked his hand from the weapon he'd used to injure his opponent, and his voice was shaky as he congratulated him, "You did well, boy... I can die with honour at your hand."

"Go to hell, you son of a bitch." Zelos retorted in a low snarl, and he shoved the general by the shoulder while pulling his blade free from his body. The angel fell useless to the ground, and let out one last chuckle before his body heaved with his death throes. It only lasted a moment before he became still, and Zelos felt his limbs turn watery now that his enemy lay as a corpse at his feet.

He collapsed to his knees, and in what seemed like the distance he heard a scared shout. Weakly, he tried turning his head as he became aware of a red-hot pain surging from the arrow buried in his stomach. In a blurry smear he saw a blond figure skid to a stop beside him, and then felt a warm touch steady his swaying body. He croaked as he tasted blood on his tongue, "I... got him."

"Zelos!" The voice seemed so far away to him, and he was aware only numbly of being layed down on the ground. A hand, careful but firm began probing his wound, and he grimaced and let out a little groan of protest. The burning was growing worse, almost as if it was penetrating his very veins. He looked up, trying to focus, but could only see a pair of tear-filled cerulean eyes hovering just above his face.

A second voice murmured above him and to the left, and he turned his head slightly in an attempt to try and see the speaker. A firm pair of hands turned his head back up, and he grumbled quietly as he tried to fight the strong grip. There was no use to it, and he sighed in defeat as the voice instructed in a harried tone, "The arrow's been poisoned. Colette, keep his head still. I've got a potion in my pack that should stall it long enough for Raine to treat it when she gets here."

"B-But the arrow..." The first voice was whispering, and her voice trembled with a strange fear that left Zelos feeling bereft. The voice was too sweet to be in so much fear, and he searched to find those beguiling cerulean eyes that had made the pain in his stomach seem like a mild scratch compared to the agony in his heart. He didn't want her to worry so much. It wasn't right.

Again the other spoke, and it had a strong and somewhat militaristic tone to it as it gave out another set of orders. Zelos wanted to hush it, realizing in his fevered mind that it was upsetting the first. His protest only came out as a faint gurgle, and with growing annoyance he tried turning his head only for his efforts to be thwarted once more."It's stemming the blood flow. Neither of us can close the wound without him bleeding out. Keep it in and don't touch it. Here, give him this."

"Okay..." The hands he realized had been holding his head still moved to caress his cheek. He tilted his head back slightly to see those eyes again smiling tearfully down at him. Something warm and sour touched his lips, and obediently he opened his mouth to feel a heavy liquid being poured into his mouth. It burned the second he tasted it, and instinctively he began to cough only for a third hand to rest on his throat. It began a smooth and gentle massaging motion that encouraged him to swallow, and a second drought was poured down.

His mind began to feel even more slow, and his eyes fluttered as the voices became a distant din in the static. He reached desperately for them, knowing instinctively that if he let go he wouldn't be able to hear them again. He stared up into the eyes above him, and he tried to move his hand, but it was weighed down and refused to respond. He grunted with effort and ground his teeth with worried annoyance. 'Ah...!'

"It's okay, Zelos." The voice murmured soothingly, and a hand lovingly caressed his cheek. He found himself relaxing against his will, and a warm molten feeling began melting his bones. The stroking continued, and his eyes closed and a low sigh escaped his lips before he let his last hold on his consciousness fade. He surrendered willingly to the black abyss, and the last thing he heard was a little murmur in his ear of, "I'll be here when you wake up..."

**AN**

**Fight scenes have never been my forte, but I hope I've improved a bit. Anyway, ten pages of my first action-oriented chapter! XD I'm quite proud of it, actually... Heehee. So... I'm quite happy... and am writing this from my parents' home while pet-sitting. The crazy pups are asleep, and I'm sitting on the couch... waiting to go home soon. I actually miss my apartment... I like living by myself... Weird how you can enjoy something that can make you so sad sometimes... Anyway, off tangent.**

**By the time I post this chapter to the net... My birthday will be soon! September 10****th**** and I'll be nineteen! Can't wait!**

_**Warning: The next handful of chapters are going to be much darker than the fare I've been providing you with lately. Adult themes such as violence, sexual conduct and torture will be touched upon. If these topics are sensitive to you, I recommend that you give the following chapters a miss. A second warning will be posted in the beginning of the following chapter, and in all chapters that will contain this content. You have been advised.**_

**Mood:**** Flipping Exhausted  
**

**Listening To:** **"Someone Like You" - Adele**

**~ Sky**


	18. Shifting Darkness

The following chapter contains incidents of an adult nature, and likely can offend you. If this sort of material is not to your fare, you are recommended to turn around now. This has been a warning.

* * *

**Temple of Lightning**

**The Following Night**

"Colette!"

The blond angel in question cringed guiltily at the sharp call of her name, and with her shoulders slumped, she turned from the bedside she had been keeping vigil at to see her professor standing at the tent's entrance. Her arms were crossed, and her expression was one of exasperation as she tapped the edge of her staff impatiently on the ground. Colette meekly ambled to her feet, but her eyes betrayed her by drifting to the sleeping redhead in the bed she had been sitting beside.

"I know you're concerned, but you need your rest too." Raine scolded her with a sigh, and she took the angel by the shoulder and led her out of the tent. The crisp night air slapped them both in the face the moment they left the safety of the pitched tent that Zelos was sleeping in. The professor turned the angel towards the second tent of the three set up in the camp, and she instructed her firmly, "Go and get yourself some of today's meal, and then turn in. And I will not take no as an answer, either, Colette."

Colette followed her orders obediently, but she felt hallow as she crossed the tiny camp set up at the western edge of the temple. She made to slip inside of the tent only to see a shadow sitting at the water's edge, just out of the professor's eagle-eyed gaze. Colette frowned as she recognized Sheena's silhouette, and she sighed softly as if the ninja's pain was tangible to her. Lloyd's betrayal had rocked them all, and Sheena had taken it the hardest.

The blond turned her gaze away from the water where the ninja had sought solitude, and she moved into the tent against her better judgement. She wanted to try and soothe her friend's ache, but she knew that nothing she said would make a difference. Sheena was facing something that Colette only barely understood, and it was better that she waited until questioned to help in case she triggered the ninja's fragile temper.

As she stepped into the tent, she was surprised to see Presea curled up amongst the sheets in the corner, pouring over a weathered book. She seemed completely and utterly engrossed, and Colette tilted her head curiously before deciding she shouldn't interrupt. She sat down on her own bedroll and stretched out slowly before lying flat on her back to stare up at the flaps that made up the tent's ceiling.

She was tired, it was true enough. She and Sheena had carefully carried Zelos out of the temple after making sure that the Desian general was well and truly dead. Tasogare and Lloyd had made their escape during the chaos, but their minds were on keeping the redheaded angel alive and stable. Only a few minutes after they had left the temple had Raine and the others landed, and quickly a camp had been set up while the professor attended to Zelos' injuries. He had slept almost the entire time, waking once or twice to be fed before promptly falling back asleep. Raine had assured them calmly that he was merely sleeping off the poison and the antidote that had been administered, and soon he would be up and moving again... but it hadn't stopped Colette from keeping vigil at his bedside.

Her eyes closed as she tried to focus on nothing in an attempt to fall asleep, but the quiet movement of Presea flipping the pages of her book seemed like explosions to her overactive mind. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, and realized that the tiny axeman was looking over at her with an expression of concern.

"Am I perhaps bothering you?" Presea questioned softly, and she placed an intricately carved piece of slim bark into the book to mark her page. She closed it and set it down in her lap, allowing Colette to note the title. The thick book was some sort of manual about mana stabilization, and Colette frowned as she tried to understand what Presea would need with such a book. The pink-haired girl frowned as well as she noted Colette's strange expression, and she continued quietly, "I can go outside, if you would prefer. You could probably use some sleep."

"Why is everyone telling me that I could use some sleep?" Colette asked with an uncharacteristic bite to her voice, and she snapped her head up to fix the surprised Presea with an annoyed glare. The emotions she had been working so hard to keep in check were beginning to come to a boil, and she felt her control threatening to break. Lloyd was now without a doubt a traitor to her friends, and he'd left a mark on Sheena that likely was never going to heal. Tasogare had played Zelos almost expertly, leaving a soldier to be gutted by the furious Chosen, who had nearly died in the attempt. Her friends were suffering, the world about them was changing when they had already done so much to save it, and she was helpless to do anything. She snapped angrily at the axeman before her, "I don't need to rest! I'm perfectly fine! Stop worrying about me!"

Presea was silent as Colette's outburst hung in the air between them, then finally she ambled to her feet. Colette likewise had fallen silent, horrified with herself, but before she could apologize the axeman had leaned over a nearby bag and pulled out a small handheld mirror that she guessed belonged to either her professor or Sheena. Slowly, Presea handed it to Colette, and she pointed for the angel to look into her reflection with a simple, "Look."

Colette swallowed nervously before following the order with a strange meekness. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked down to see a strange young woman looking back at her. The blond figure in the mirror had a waxen appearance and dark circles shadowing under her eyes. She looked almost ready to simply keel over, and appeared as fragile as already shattered glass. Colette reached up with her free hand to touch the circles under her eyes, and she watched in astonishment as the blond in the mirror mimicked the action. "Oh... That's... That's me..."

"You haven't slept properly in a handful of days... and now you've been up all night attending to Zelos." Presea eased herself down into a sitting position beside the angel, and she tilted her head slightly to the side as she added on softly, "I know that Zelos' condition is concerning, but Professor Raine will take care of him. You need to take care of yourself too."

"I'm sorry for shouting..." Colette apologized weakly, and she curled in on herself with a feeling of shame that cooled her blood. She set aside the mirror, not wanting to see herself in such a strange state. She looked down at her hands, trying to see herself through the eyes of her friends, but it was a difficult thing. She had hoped that her mask of optimism would continue to hold, at least for a little while longer, but the recent events had left her unable to cope.

She felt Presea's hand take a gentle hold of her hand, and she looked up to see the axeman smiling in a comforting, if awkward, manner. She sat down close to her side, allowing their shoulders to touch in a gesture of kindness and support. The once silent and stoic girl was showing her true compassionate nature, and Colette was touched to be on the receiving end of such an action. She bowed her head as tears began burning in her eyes, and she sniffled softly in apology, "S-Sorry... It's all too much for me right now... M-Maybe you're right... I do need some rest."

"Professor Raine can make you an elixir to help you sleep." Presea suggested quietly, but the angel shook her head weakly from side to side. Then, much to Presea's surprise, she reached up and settled her hand on top of hers and gave it a firm but grateful squeeze. It took Presea a moment to realize that the angel wanted her by her side for a little bit longer, and she let out a little sigh as a bubble of happiness warmed her insides.

She started suddenly as a thought she had discarded long ago came to her, and without letting Colette's hand go, she leaned over to fetch her bag. She rummaged through it for a moment before finding what she had been searching for, and she pulled a small silk satchel from it's home before untying its neck. She reached inside before unearthing a tiny wooden figurine attached to a mythril chain, and she handed it to a bemused Colette roughly. Her face reddened in embarrassment when the angel turned to look at her questioningly, and she explained with great awkwardness, "I-It's a good-luck charm. During the restoration of Ozette I took to carving again, and I thought of everyone... and I wanted to give my friends something to remind them of our journey, even though we were separated."

Colette held up the small circular amulet before blinking in surprise as her eyes sought out the minuscule writing that formed the spiral-pattern that decorated the maple wood. The names of her comrades made up the pattern, starting with Colette's name and ending with Zelos' in tiny formal script that flowed about the wood like smoke in the wind. The amulet was attached to a single silver loop that hooked about the chain, and with a smile Colette hooked it about her neck and displayed her gift proudly. "Did you make one for everybody?"

"Yes." Presea answered immediately, and she leaned forward and opened the bag as wide as it would go to show Colette the charms that lay inside, waiting for their owners. Colette counted six of them, each made with a different type of wood that varied in thickness and colour. When she gazed at Presea she noted a jet-black charm that was nestled just underneath the hunter's tunic, and the girl flushed slightly before closing the bag. She averted her eyes as she added on sheepishly, "I've yet to give everyone theirs. It slipped my mind once the incidents began, but I suppose it would be a good time as any to present them to the group."

"Are they all personalized? I mean, they do all look different."

"Yes. Each charm is made of wood taken from the person's home. Mine was made from a fallen willow tree just outside of Ozette, while I made yours from a limb of an apple tree not too far from Iselia. I found pieces of an oak in Meltokio's forests, and then there was a small sakura tree near Mizuho... I also managed to find shards of birch bark from Altamira, and then there were some elm trees that were torn down in Heimdall..." Presea listed each of the types of trees she had harvested the wood from for the charms, and Colette found herself giggling as she thought of all the work the little hunter had to have gone through to make the trinkets. She could see the detail and love that had gone into each and every charm, and she planned to treasure her gift for as long as she lived. Presea came to a stop suddenly, and Colette looked up with a frown before realizing which trinket she had yet to give a name to. A full era seemed to pass before Presea finished her summation painfully, "Lloyd's necklace was made from an ancient redwood that grew in the forests around his home. He gave me some of the wood from the forest when restoration was beginning in Ozette... and he said it was because I said that the forest reminded me of home. I saved some of the lumber to make the necklace for him."

Colette stared at the roan-coloured charm that Presea was handling, and she let out a deep breath before feeling the pressure in her chest abruptly let go as a realization came to her. She sighed quietly and a tender smile came to her face before she reached forward and closed Presea's fingers around the necklace. "You should give them out to everyone tonight... and keep Lloyd's, so you can give it to him later."

"Colette...?" Presea questioned slowly at the change she was seeing in the angel's face. From the pain in her eyes there was an ironclad resolve that began hardening her, and it was followed by an upright tilt to her chin. Added to that was a stiffness in her posture, almost as if she was releasing something that had been weighing her down.

"Lloyd is innocent." Colette said firmly, and for a moment she wasn't sure where the words were coming from. The evidence she had seen inside of the Temple was almost impossible to ignore... but she had seen something that Sheena hadn't from her position. When Lloyd had been gripping Sheena from behind with a sword to her throat... "I saw his face... when he was restraining Sheena. He looked like he was about to cry. And instead of attacking directly... he took the first chance he could to run away. He left the Exspheres behind, and he didn't try to fight. None of it adds up, Presea."

"Lloyd is without a doubt the strongest of all of us, and he wouldn't have a hard time defeating us one on one. Even outnumbered as he was in the temple, he likely would've been able to defeat you and Sheena if it had come to blows. It would likely take four of us to really be able to incapacitate him without severely injuring him... so it doesn't make sense why he would refuse to battle us if he truly was an enemy." Presea mused aloud, and she folded her hands together and closed her eyes as she continued to sort through her thoughts. She rested her chin on her hands and tapped a foot rhythmically against the ground as she spoke, "One would assume he'd be under orders to eliminate any threat, especially if he's working underneath Tasogare, as it appears he is. She had no qualms about direct combat, but even she left with Lloyd in tow, leaving behind a general instead..."

"She needs Lloyd for something... and he's going along with it, but the question is what is she planning and why is he working with her?" Colette asked softly, sadly, and she folded her arms about herself to better keep the warmth in and to stop her trembling. She let out a little yawn before realizing that so much thinking and worrying really had left her as exhausted as she looked. "Yeesh... I guess I do need a nap..."

"You should eat before you go lie down. I'll go and get you a bowl of Genis' curry." Presea offered with a little smile, and when Colette looked as if she was going to follow she stopped her with a quiet chuckle. "No, you stay here. I'll be right back." Colette pulled a face but she willingly sank back down into her bedroll. Presea left the tent and realized with a sigh that the wind from earlier had finally died down and left the campsite refreshingly cool.

She headed straight for the campfire where the pot of curry was still bubbling away, and she was surprised to see Genis tending to it with a bored sort of air. She nodded politely in greeting when he noticed her, and moved to fill an empty bowl for the waiting Colette. She looked down at the three vials of satay that rested on the ground before plucking the white one out and sprinkling a small dash into the bowl.

"Finally convinced Colette to eat, huh?" Genis asked with a chuckle as he watched Presea give the bowl a good stir to allow the satay to mix with the curry. When the hunter nodded in confirmation he smiled with satisfaction. He had been worried that the angel was on the verge of collapse, and he was glad to see that his sister and Presea had managed to convince her to get some rest. "Good job. I was going to go and try to get her to eat too if she wasn't sleeping. Thanks a lot."

"It's not a problem." Presea nodded with a smile, and she gave the bowl another good long stir before making to turn back to the tent. She was stopped however when Genis' hand closed gently around her arm to halt her. She turned in surprise, only to see the mage was frowning at her with concern. She felt her heart do a rapid drum roll against her ribs, and the sudden pressure left her feeling oddly weak in the knees, especially when he was so close. Her voice shook as she questioned, "W-What is it?"

"I... Uh..." Genis floundered as he realized what he'd just done, and his face burned red in embarrassment as he abruptly let her go. He looked down nervously before coughing away his anxiety and looking up again. His lips pursed in a serious expression and he spoke in a surprisingly clear voice, "I... I wanted to apologize for how I've been lately. I mean... after what happened in Ozette... I've been a jerk because I thought everybody was treating me like an invalid, even though you were just worried about me... and I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Presea blinked once in surprise, and then felt a warm smile break across her lips at his sincerity. She still could well remember the conversation she had earlier with Raine and Colette, and it warmed her greatly to know that Genis didn't really consider her an annoyance. Her body acted on its own and she pulled him into a close one-armed hug as she murmured, "Thank you very much. I'm glad that you don't consider me a bother."

Genis squeaked in surprise at her sudden embrace, and awkwardly he raised his arms to return it. He had never seen a demonstrative side of her before, and as shocked as he was to experience it... he was rather happy. The two stood together for a long moment, and when they pulled apart, he said quietly, "I never thought you were a bother. I was just... being a jerk. So... Thank you for everything."

Presea smiled gently, and she nodded quickly to show her own thanks to his kindness. A gentle hue of pink covered her cheeks as her heart raced along in her chest, and the physical feelings confused her as much as they made her happy. She looked back at the bowl in her hand and realized with a jolt that Colette was still waiting for her. She turned back to the tent and murmured, "I should go and give this to Colette..."

"Y-Yeah..." Genis nodded and watched as she hurried off towards the tent and vanished inside. His face was unbearably hot, and he hastily fanned himself in an attempt to soothe the embarrassed pain. He'd never been held like that before, and it was an intensely new experience for him. He chuckled a little and turned back towards Zelos' tent to check in on him before going back to his own bed. 'Wow...'

He knew he was still smiling goofily when he slipped into Zelos' tent, but the expression melted from his face when he saw his elder sister leaning over the half-naked Chosen. His shirt was open and his bandages cut as Raine held her staff carefully over the swollen puncture wound in his stomach. A greenish ooze was slathered over the wound, obscuring the yellowish puss that had been leaking from it.

Genis was perfectly silent, knowing that his sister needed all of her concentration as she began the healing process. Her Crystal Rod let off a gentle green light as her mana began to flow through it as a catalyst. Her mana poured in a steady stream into the wound, and Genis watched as the puss from the poison dissipated with a hiss. The reddening about his skin paled into nothingness, and Raine quietly set her staff down and let out a long sigh.

"How is he doing, sis?"

Raine looked over and smiled a bit at Genis' concern, and she rested a hand on her stomach before answering quietly, "He's okay. For the most part the poison has been neutralized." She noted with a grateful chuckle as she rested back on her haunches, "Sheena's quick-thinking managed to stall the poison, and I easily could handle the rest. He'll be his normal arrogant self by tomorrow. For now, he just needs to sleep off the wounds. I'll re-bandage his stomach, but I want to make sure the poison is fully out of his system before I close them completely."

"Makes sense." Genis agreed, and he tilted his head as he took in her flushed cheeks and the clearness in her eyes. Only a short time ago if she had tried a healing it would cost her horribly, and he was glad to see that his mother's gift had allowed Raine to tap back into her abilities without straining herself. "Are you feeling okay, though? You can always get Regal to finish the job if you need to rest and restore your mana..."

"I'll be fine, Genis. I may need a little more time before I can fully use all of my abilities again, but my basic skills are still useable." Raine moved fluidly to her feet, and she fondly wrapped an arm about her brother's shoulder to give him a loving squeeze. "Mother's mana transfer has helped me beyond words. I won't be the old healer I used to be... but I have a feeling I'll be even more powerful with some practise."

"That's good to hear." Genis nodded his head, but he then took her by the elbow and steered her towards the tent where she and Regal were meant to sleep. He pointed firmly at the opening and instructed her in a no-nonsense tone that she always used, "You should go and get some rest too, now. I know it wasn't draining, but you still need to get some sleep yourself. I'll take the watch for tonight with Presea."

"If you insist, Genis." Raine let out a quiet laugh at Genis' insistence, and she raised her hands in a defeated gesture. She knew better than to argue with her little brother when he was so serious, and so she leaned down to kiss the top of his head before saying, "I'll see you in the morning, but you need to promise to wake me if anything changes in Zelos' condition."

"I got it." Genis laughed, and he gave her a gentle shove towards the tent. She continued walking, chuckling at his behaviour, and he called after her, "Get some rest!"

"Yes, Genis!" Raine chuckled as she walked away, and she slipped inside of her tent all the while shaking her head at her little brother's love. She sometimes wondered who cared the most about their other sibling, but it made her happy to know that he thought of her so much. As she pulled back the flap to close the tent behind her she jumped as she felt a pair of strong arms wrap about her middle, followed by a warm pair of lips that moved slowly, languidly, along her throat.

"Welcome back." Regal whispered huskily, and he smiled darkly as he felt his wife melting in his arms. She leaned into his chest, resting her hands on top of his as he began unbuttoning the front of her shirt. He listened to her sigh in pleasure as she tilted her head to the side to give him more room, and he nibbled playfully at her earlobe as he muttered, "I heard your brother has ordered you to take a rest... Shall I help with that?"

"I don't know how exactly this can be considered restful..." Raine murmured quietly, and her eyes fluttered closed as he opened her shirt and pulled it from her body to let it fall to the ground. She went willingly with him to their bedrolls, and he sat her down in his lap before taking her shoulders in his hands. He moved his fingers in a slow and circular rhythm, working the tension from her muscles and eliciting a low moan of pleasure when he loosened a knot. "Mmm..."

Regal smiled gently into her hair as he continued the massage, moving his hands expertly down her shoulders and to her ribs, noting the places where she seemed to be the most tense. The past few weeks had been stressful for all of them, but Raine hadn't allowed herself a chance to rest, and Regal was determined to break the cycle even if it meant having to use her body against her.

Her head lolled back as his hands worked their mastery over her pale skin, and she didn't complain as he unlatched her bra with a quick flick of his fingers. He slid that article of clothing from her as well, dropping it to the ground and leaving her naked from the waist up. She shivered deliciously as he lowered his head and began kissing the juncture of her throat and shoulder, and faintly in the back of her mind she tried to remember that her brother was just outside, not a stone's throw away from their tent. She warned half-heartedly as Regal's large hands snaked up around her front and cupped her breasts, "Outside... G-Genis..."

"Then we shall be quiet and avoid attracting attention." Regal replied smoothly, and slowly he began massaging her chest now to caress away the last bits of her arguments. She let out a long but muffled groan, and he smiled in triumph as he felt her go entirely limp in his hands. Neither of them managed to keep a hold on their sanity when the other was using their body in a playful attempt to win an argument, and he whispered into her ear, "Do you have any more complaints, Raine?"

"No..." Raine murmured softly, and she turned her head, searching... and was rewarded as Regal kissed her firmly on the mouth. He lay down, taking her with him onto the sheets, and she turned her body to rest on top of him as his fingers wound themselves gently into her hair. The warmth of his wedding band brushed against her temple as they kissed deeply, and Raine was reminded again of how much she loved the man in her arms for being able to see past every one of her facades. He knew she needed rest, and he was gentle as he loved away her worries and stress. When they broke for a breath of air, she tilted her head into his palm and smiled as she uttered sincerely, "I love you, Regal."

"As I love you..." Regal returned just as sincerely, and with a smile that melted her heart all over again. He rolled her over and underneath him, and as he rested his body atop of hers he leaned down and nuzzled against her cheek. He took her left hand in his and kissed the small diamond ring that made its home on her finger. He met her warm gaze and smiled before moving to catch those lips in another kiss, "As I love you."

* * *

**The Far North**

**Desian Stronghold**

Lloyd came awake to a furious commotion raging just outside of his small cabin, and stiffly he pulled himself from his bed. He reached for the blades that rested beside him, and not bothering to pull a shirt on, he hurried for the door, worried that some sort of attack was being waged. He was stunned however to see Tasogare in the midst of a handful of soldiers, brutally swatting away the grunts like flies.

One of the men tried to move past her, but Lloyd intercepted him automatically and slammed his still-sheathed blade into his mid-section. The man fell to his knees with a groan, but Lloyd easily struck him in the side of the head, ensuring that when the soldier hit the ground that he wouldn't be getting up again. When he turned to see how Tasogare was faring, he was unsurprised to see that she had already dealt with the other four soldiers and had them lying on the floor in various positions of hurt.

She stood above the one who must have been in charge, and she placed her foot on his throat in a stance that Lloyd was painfully reminded of. However unlike his experience there was no satisfaction in her expression, only a dark fury that he had never seen before. She was placing a hard pressure on the soldier's throat, and he was choking and trying to dislodge her foot but to no avail. As she pressed even harder, she snarled in a voice laden with anger and disgust, "Try to usurp my authority again and you will find your life forfeit. Get out of my sight, and tell that bastard that if he thinks he can do what he pleases with my prisoners that he will find himself unable to enjoy his so-called forbidden pleasures again!"

Tasogare removed her foot only to brutally kick the man off of his back and onto his stomach towards the others. He scrambled to his feet and fled down the hall, with his comrades following after him like branded animals. Tasogare watched them go coldly, and then turned to see the fallen soldier at Lloyd's feet before glancing up to see him. Her jaw tightened, and she glared at the fallen soldier before uttering a terse, "Thank you for dealing with that filth for me."

"What the hell was that all about?" Lloyd questioned with a raised eyebrow, but he was ignored when Tasogare brushed by him, heading in the opposite direction of the soldiers she had sent running. Undeterred, he followed after her, only to stop when she came to a halt in front of a supply closet only a few metres away from his cabin. She knocked twice on the door, and when it opened Lloyd drew away with a gasp of startled disgust.

Inside of the closet was a woman, kneeling on the ground and cradling a softly whimpering infant in her bloody arms. Her dress was torn in a multitude of places, and tears were splattered on her cheeks and matted her hair, but it was the blood that speckled her bare thighs that gained Lloyd's attention. A wordless horror filled him as he realized just what had happened to her, and he drew away as Tasogare knelt down before the woman and spoke in a language he didn't understand.

The woman stared back at Tasogare with an expression of complete and utter trust, and the two conversed for a short moment before the angel helped her to her feet. When she stood up Lloyd could fully see the cuts and bruises that marred the woman's creamy skin, and her matted blond hair was limp and unkempt with grime and blood. She looked to Lloyd and an expression of fear clouded her eyes, and she drew her baby desperately further into her chest and whispered something to Tasogare before pointing shakily at him with one broken hand.

Tasogare glanced back to Lloyd, and then she slowly shook her head as if to reassure the woman that he was no threat. She didn't look appeased, but she did relax a little bit and lowered her head to murmur to the fussing baby in her arms. Tasogare allowed the woman a moment, and she turned to Lloyd and explained quietly, "Come with me to the medical bay, and keep silent."

Lloyd nodded obediently, not wanting to scare the woman any further. Tasogare led the woman through the halls, with Lloyd taking up the rear and he scowled as he thought of the angel's furious outburst to the soldiers she had so easily whipped. His mind was spinning as Tasogare gently pushed the woman into the infirmary where a handful of doctors were waiting.

He stood back as the doctors exchanged a quick word with Tasogare, and she pointed at the doors and gave a crisp order that left the men saluting smartly. She then made a gesture towards the woman, and both of the men stepped away and made a call into the radio before making reassuring nods. Tasogare paused a moment, then went to the woman's side and ushered her into a bed, speaking again in that strange lyrical language. The woman seemed much more at ease, and then to Lloyd's shock, she reached out to touch Tasogare on the arm in a gesture of thanks.

Tasogare slipped free, an expression of discomfort on her face, and then swept from the bay without another word. Lloyd followed fast on her heels, burning with curiosity and anger at what he had just seen. When they were far enough away from the infirmary and alone in the halls, he asked quietly, "What happened to her?"

"She was raped."

The answer stopped Lloyd short, and even though he had been expecting it... He felt sick to his stomach. Her words and actions suddenly made sense to him, and left him confused but slightly relieved. She had reacted with fury upon discovering what had happened to the woman, meaning that despite her status as a Desian... She had morals. Also... He knew who had injured the woman so badly, and it also left him understanding why she showed such a loathing towards one of her fellow generals. He questioned again, already knowing the answers but wanting to hear it from her own mouth, "Auin did it... didn't he?"

"He took an interest in her when he was touring the cells. He commissioned several of his men to sneak her out and into his cabin, where he kept her for over two weeks while I was away. He used her newborn infant as leverage to make sure she didn't call out for help. And finally, if you had looked close enough, you would have seen the letter 'a' of the angelic alphabet engraved on her right breast." Tasogare answered quietly, and without emotion as she came to a stop. She didn't turn to see Lloyd's reaction, but her body language mirrored his as she explained, "There are a handful of women in different areas that are branded in a similar way. This would be the first time I've personally be able to save one of his victims. Most of the time... I'm too late to do anything about it."

Lloyd wasn't sure how to react, or what names to give to the emotions coiling inside of his gut. He had known that Tasogare had no love for her fellow general, and now he understood why. He also knew why his instincts had warned him of the darkness inside of the angel he'd only met once, and his body shivered with disgust and fury at this new knowledge. "What are you going to do?"

"That would be none of your concern." Tasogare answered robotically, and she turned as she sensed Lloyd reaching to grab her roughly by the shoulder. Her golden eyes flared with anger, and her remaining dagger manifested itself in her right hand. She raised it to his throat threateningly and hissed with uncharacteristic passion, "What do you expect from me, Irving? To go and outright kill the man? I'm sure you'd like me to. I can see it in your eyes that you have the same desire. I will warn you only once that Auin is not your foe to kill. That pleasure belongs to me and to me alone. If you try to combat him, I can assure you that I will kill you for it. It's not yet time for me to kill him yet, and that is the only reason why he is still breathing the free air."

Lloyd was taken aback by the passion and sincerity in her voice, and he paused for a long moment as he tried to absorb everything he had just seen. In the past ten minutes he had seen her express more emotion than he'd guessed she'd had in the last long few months he'd known her. Something warned him that it wasn't just Auin's cruel actions that made him Tasogare's exclusive target, and he knew better than to ask when he'd receive no answers.

"Allow me to rephrase, as I can clearly see you dying to question me." Tasogare added on blithely, and she raised a single eyebrow before crossing her arms about her waist. She leaned back on the balls of her feet before casting a quick glance about them to ensure they were alone. She spoke in her quiet voice, but it held a terse and frigid edge as she explained, "Think of your battle in the forests of Heimdall. I'm awaiting my own chance to have a similar confrontation. And for your acceptance of this... perhaps we can come to an accord that we both will find profitable?"

At this Lloyd's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, and he felt a dark suspicion beginning to bubble in his stomach at her mention of Kratos. He knew she held all of the strings, and she was making him dance like a puppet while offering him the illusion of freedom. Still... Any situation was better than the one he was in now, and he wasn't in a position to refuse her. "What exact kind of agreement are you thinking of...?"

"Both of us have an enemy in common." Tasogare said with a strange smile that alerted Lloyd to the true nature she had been hiding from him the entire time. She was more than a simple soldier, and outing Auin's less-than-saintly behaviour was the perfect excuse for her to reveal her true loyalties. Her honey-golden eyes were icy, and she crossed her arms tightly about her stomach as she continued in a low undertone, "I want someone dead... and you want someone dead. The best way we can reach our goals... is for you to work with me."

"And what would that give me that I don't already have?" Lloyd retorted coldly, and he gestured to the prison that surrounded him in the guise of a fortress. Enemy soldiers were everywhere, and he had no one to trust or rely on. His comrades believed him a traitor, and he admitted to being one in his own right... but there was little really left to him regardless. "What can _you_ offer _me_?"

"I can't offer you more than I can offer myself, and that is simple vengeance." Tasogare replied smoothly, and she watched as the tension slowly left his body, but his suspicious expression remained. She waved a hand at the cold and sterile walls around them, and the smiled cruelly as she handled her dagger and offered it to him, hilt first. Her voice remained deceptively smooth as she finished off quietly, "You've already staked a claim on my life... and I'm willing to give it to you, but that means you need to obey my orders for the time being. Can you handle being my underling for a little while longer?"

"You expect me to trust you... after all of the shit you pulled already?" Lloyd remarked in disbelief, and he shook his head in a comical fashion. Still, his eyes never left the dagger she was offering to him, and he felt the draw of her bid down to his very bones. He did want her blood for the things she had made him do, for the pain she'd put him and his friends through. He didn't reach for her weapon, but rather turned his head away from it and growled, "I have a debt to pay to you, and I will pay it, but on my own terms. As for your little deal... I don't trust you as far as I can throw you... but you're the only person I know who can help me get to Yggdrasil."

"Good to know. Then we have an accord." No sooner had the words left her mouth when her over-keen ears picked up the nosie of boots falling heavily in the west hallway, approaching them quickly. All traces of good humour vanished from her at once, and she turned to insert herself between the coming angel and Lloyd before uttering in a low mutter, "Speaking of one of our devils..."

Lloyd became stiff as he saw Auin storming down the hallway towards them, and he noted with a jolt that the angel's broadsword was in his hand and seemingly ready to begin its work. The olive-haired and eyed angel was sloppily dressed in his signature ebony armour, and blood flecked his scarred face and bared hands, giving him an even more demonic appearance than usual. He came to a stop before the two in the hallway, and his eyes flickered to Lloyd's bare chest to Tasogare's cold expression, and his upper lip curled into an amused smirk.

"I never figured your taste ran for half-breeds, Tasogare." Auin commented with raised eyebrows, and he leered suggestively at the stone-eyed angel. She made no comment to his words, and he then glanced to Lloyd who likewise wasn't reacting. He pulled a face, seemingly bored by their lack of rising to his bait, and then abruptly grew serious. His eyes glittered with a dangerous shadow, and he stepped close to Tasogare so that their noses almost brushed when he snarled, "I have business to settle with you, you little thief. How many times must I tell you to stop touching things that belong to me?"

Tasogare didn't move away from his challenging stance, but Lloyd noted how her hand balled into a fist underneath her long sleeve, as if she was preparing to use her dagger to begin a battle. She replied quietly and in an equally dangerous voice, "You forget yourself. These are _my_ prisoners, and you are in _my_ territory. Don't assume that your rank gives you leeway to do as you please here."

"I do as I please wherever and whenever, my little Tasogare." Auin answered darkly, and his eyes flickered down to her lips before focussing again on her eyes. He licked his own lips as if in anticipation, and he moved his sword to almost caress her side as he added on, "I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get to finish before you went and robbed me of my little morsel I'd been enjoying the past few weeks... You just had to come back from your little expedition to interrupt my fun. You ought to repay me. It's the only honourable thing for a trader to do."

"Take a step back and lower that sword of yours before I take your hand off with it." Tasogare warned him with a deadly hiss, and this time her dagger hissed out of her sleeve and stopped just mere inches away from Auin's hand. He didn't pull away as a testament to his arrogance, and Tasogare threateningly raised her left hand and handled her weapon so it just barely nicked his scarred cheek. "Must I warn you again... or do you need a second scar to match the first?"

"You are growing bold." Auin stared past her to look at Lloyd who had been watching the ensuing battle of words and threats without a word. His lips pulled back into a grin, and he sidestepped about Tasogare to move into Lloyd's space, but he was stopped by Tasogare's dagger which just dared to plunge into his cheek. His eyes flickered back to the angel's face, and he turned his face into the blade and cut open his own cheek as he murmured, "I'm very intrigued to see how this unorthodox partnership is going to work between you two, my dear Tasogare... Very intrigued. Are you going to bring your little puppet into our nine-hundred year-long rivalry? It'd be interesting to see what you do with yet another one of your chess pieces."

Lloyd watched as Auin pressed his face into the dagger again, forming a long gash that matched well with the scar on his cheek. He was surprised by the strange satisfaction that showed on Auin's face at the obvious pain, and he forced himself to act as calmly as possible to prevent further trouble from brewing. The tension between the two angels was thick enough to be cut with a knife, and now he was simply waiting for a down-and-out brawl to occur.

Tasogare however seemed to have limitless patience when it came to Auin. She didn't give way to him, but rather applied more pressure with her dagger to deepen the wound in the general's face. Her eyes were cold and brutal, and she spoke in a tone that accentuated her gaze, "You'll receive one last warning before I mar your face beyond repair."

"I'm eager to give you a chance to do so, but to be honest I think we're drifting a bit too much from the original reasoning why I came to see you." Auin changed tactics smoothly, and Tasogare's lips twitched in a faint sign of her annoyance. Again he lifted his blade and allowed the metal to trace the shape of her hip, and he began smoothly, "It seems you had Dvalinn eliminated in an attempt to make a clean getaway from the Temple of Lightning. His little brother Dáinn is requesting a promotion... into my unit."

"You can take him. I have no need for a hothead soldier that doesn't know the meaning of the world subtlety." Tasogare said flatly, and she waved a hand in a dismissive gesture as she added on, "In exchange however, I'd prefer to take one of the other brothers off of your hands. Does that sound like a satisfactory trade-off?"

"Then you can have your pick from Duneyrr and Durazrbr. It doesn't matter to me which one you take." Auin shrugged carelessly, and he stretched an arm before placing his blade back on its home on his back. He absentmindedly stroked his chin, thinking about the remaining brothers that Tasogare had to choose from, and he remarked, "Considering you let an archer die, I'm guessing you'd want the mage instead of the brawler..." His lips pulled back in a sardonic grin as he added on, "Though, considering you're short one of your daggers now, I guess you'll be pulling out that sword of yours in no time... Maybe I ought to keep both of them so you don't get them killed."

Tasogare's lip twitched as if she was repressing a scowl, or a smile, and Lloyd noted her hands curling into fists and moving away from her sword's hilt. Her dagger disappeared into the folds of her clothes, and her eyes glinted as she said curtly, completely ignoring Auin's mysterious barb, "Give Durazrbr notice that he is to be outfitted and before me in two days time. Dáinn will be given notice tomorrow, and be under your command shortly... and _you_, are to be off my base immediately. I don't care where you go, but anywhere is satisfactory to me as long as I'm not dealing with you. I'm sure Lord Yggdrasil had some sort of order for you to carry out, and I'm sure you're shirking your duty."

"Not any more than you are, milady. I'm not the one rounding up Exspheres and leading around the former Heroes of Regeneration on a merry chase through Aselia." Auin chuckled before shaking his head as if incredibly amused by his own wit. Blood from the wound on his cheek trickled down his lower lip, and his tongue flicked out to lick it clean before he bore his gaze into Lloyd's stone face. He smiled cruelly before he began walking back the way he had come, and his voice called out over his shoulder as he went, "It's been a pleasure chatting with you again... and I'll come to collect what you owe me soon. I never forget a debt, you know."

Lloyd watched in silence as the angel disappeared around the corner, and deep in his chest he felt a darkness moving gears he had thought he'd laid down to rest. His eyes narrowed as his hands curled to fists, and he found himself uttering words he'd never thought he'd speak to the angel he despised as much as he somehow respected, "If I had any doubts before... they're gone now. I'll do whatever it takes to get that sick bastard into the ground."

* * *

**Temple of Lightning**

**Early Morning**

The tent was cool. It was Zelos' first thought as the combined mire of Raine's sleeping potion and his body's injuries released his consciousness and allowed him to wake. He was laying on his back underneath a thin sheet, with a tight lattice of bandages around his stomach and torso serving as a shirt. The redheaded Chosen blinked slowly as he came back to the present, and instinctively his hand moved underneath the blanket to touch one of two puncture wounds in his body. He grimaced as his fingertips touched damp gauze, and slowly he dropped his hand back to his side. 'Damn... How long was I out for...?'

He shuffled slightly and cringed as a shock of pain rippled through his entire upper body. He let out a sharp exhale through gritted teeth as he closed his eyes and tried to take stock of what hurt the most. His shoulder ached, but the sensation was dull when he compared it to the small fire burning away in his stomach. A dark scowl came to his face as the memory of his wounds came rushing back to him, and he growled in a low voice, "This is so humiliating..."

Zelos was fully prepared to sulk in his own woe for a good moment or two when he heard a quiet, almost silent snuffling from beside him. Startled, he turned his head towards the source of the noise and the realization froze his body solid. Lying across from him in the tent was a familiar blond figure he recognized well. Colette had snuck inside of his tent and placed her own bedroll beside him and was sleeping now at his side.

He blinked slowly, confused and mildly pleased to see that she was keeping such a strict vigil beside him. He rolled over slowly, resting on his good arm so he could get a good view of her sleeping form. His eyes softened and the corners of his mouth pulled upwards as he traced the shape of her body underneath the blankets with his gaze.

In a well-practised movement, Zelos was up and leaning himself over her. He rested his weight carefully on his good hand, and kept a bare inch between his chest and her as she slept on oblivious beneath him. An unfathomable expression crossed over his face, and his fingers moved in a ghostly caress on her golden locks.

Zelos felt himself leaning forward, until his lips were scant inches away from touching hers in a kiss. Hundreds of times, thousands of times he could recall similar touches that always felt so robotic to the women he brought to his bed. It would be different to touch someone like her, and he longed for it in a foreign way he never had before. Colette lay still even as his fingertips moved to stroke her parted lips, and he felt a pain stirring in his body as he gazed down at her.

"I'm a bastard."

The words were muttered bitterly, and Zelos drew away abruptly from her as if she'd erupted in flames. He turned his head away, making sure he couldn't see her as he absorbed just how close he had been from taking advantage of the blond angel. He ran his hand wearily through his hair, wishing for what had to be the millionth time that he had been born in a different place as a different person.

He pushed himself roughly to his feet, ignoring the spasm of pain his unprepared muscles gave him at the movement. His body hurt with the effort of restraining himself, but he knew it was imperative to leave the tent before he gave into his desires. He swept outside into the cool dawn air and immediately he gave a shudder as the temperature struck deep down to his bones.

A small current of steam came out from his mouth when he let out a sigh, and he stood outside of the tent as he tried to let the morning cool him off. He was ready to spend as long as he had to outside waiting, but was distracted when his gaze swept the shoreline. Sitting atop the pile of boulders that peppered the beach was a familiar figure, and Zelos was almost glad to note that someone was else was suffering in a similar manner to him.

Despite the relief, it wasn't in him to leave her be like his comrades likely had after the incident in the temple. Pocketing a hand while gingerly adjusting his wounded shoulder, Zelos set off as a leisurely pace towards the beach to greet the still awake ninja. As he came closer, he noted that she'd yet to change out of her battle garb and into more travel-friendly clothing. She was huddled in on herself in a desolate image, with her knees pressed to her chest and arms wrapped around herself while she stared out on the horizon without emotion.

Zelos waited until he was a good stone's throw away from her before calling out in a gentle tone, "You mind if I come on up with you over there? Looks like there's some room, and I'd like to join in on the pity party."

The sharp rebuttal he fully expected never came, and Zelos immediately felt his concern double at the uncharacteristic silence. he picked his way carefully up the path to the bunch of stones, and he sat himself down next to her without waiting for permission. Being closer allowed him to see the reddened rims that circled her eyes, and he could also see the years of stress and pain that made themselves known much too early in her face. He touched his good left shoulder to hers, and he asked her in a scolding voice, "You've been out here all night, haven't you?"

A beat of silence followed, causing him to wonder if maybe she was going to ignore him entirely. However a ragged breath escaped her after a long minute, and he watched as her entire body slumped in even further on itself. Her tawny eyes were lifeless as she murmured, "Can't sleep... Not hungry, either. Just... awake."

"You'll be dead in a week if you keep that up." Zelos remarked stonily, and with grim satisfaction he noticed her flinch in response. She wasn't defeated yet, and he could still pull her back and away from the brink. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze as he continued, "Come on back to camp. You don't need to eat, or even sleep, just come on back with me."

"Fine..." Sheena let out a second deep breath, and she allowed herself to be cajoled to her feet. She skipped neatly from her perch and to the sand, and waited patiently for him to do the same. He moved awkwardly and painfully, and she raised an eyebrow as she watched him favouring his shoulder more than his stomach. She asked quietly as he made his way to the surf by her side, "Are you still in that much pain? Maybe you shouldn't have left the tent."

"My arm hurts worse than my gut. It's better than yesterday, though." Zelos answered grumpily, and he followed along sluggishly behind Sheena as they picked their way along the path and towards the camp. He rested a hand on his stomach and added on bitterly, "It was like I got a hot poker shoved in me. That arrow was poisoned, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. I had some herbs that managed to neutralize it until Raine could rid it for you. She'll probably want to do a second shot of healing today before we leave." Sheena answered, and she cast a long look at the Chosen before noting that he looked as grim as she felt, even if he was trying to hide it. The pain from his wounds weren't the only things weighing him down. "You ought to go back to the tent and sleep some more. You look like you're about to fall over."

"You think I look bad?" Zelos shot back with a raised eyebrow, and he pointed with his chin towards the tent that he had been sleeping in. He explained at her curious stare, "Colette had to be coerced into eating last night, and then somehow she ended up sleeping in my tent, keeping guard just like she promised. You need to have a word with her about that. Comrades or not, she's a bit too old to be sneaking into a man's tent like that."

It was Sheena's turn to raise her eyebrows at Zelos' dour tone, and she looked to the tent with an uncertain frown. She could almost imagine how Zelos must have reacted to find her in his tent, and though she felt suspicious... Part of her was also wryly amused at his annoyed voice. It was almost perfect. She rebuked him in amusement, "The only reason anyone would let her do it is because everyone knows that you couldn't take advantage of her even if you wanted to."

Zelos scowled as he detected the sincerity in her voice, and he clearly remembered the suspicion of her voice and the angry protectiveness she had displayed so long ago towards Colette. It confused and annoyed him how she could trust him so implicitly now, as if she knew him better than he knew himself. "How do you have that much trust in a bastard like me?"

"You didn't touch her, did you?" Sheena returned with a frown of her own, and she crossed her arms over her chest as she stopped in her tracks. She turned to face him entirely, and couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth returning to her heart. Colette's feelings were clear enough to her, and Zelos' as well, and it honestly puzzled her how there could be so much confusion over it. She shook her head before jerking her head back in the direction of the tent before saying softly, "Look, Wilder... Whether or not I agree with it all the time, you're a good person when it comes down to it. I trust you. You've always had my back. You're a good friend."

Zelos was aware of his lips pulling back in a smile at her kind words, and he closed his eyes as he allowed the preciousness of her actions to sink in. Their relationship was a chaotic one full of good-natured insults, but he had a deep seeded respect for her. Both as a soldier and as a friend. He nudged her with his good shoulder playfully, and commented in a joking voice, "Stop all the mushy stuff, it's not like you. I know I'm irresistible, but you've been immune to my charms for too long for me to enjoy you falling in love with me. Punch me like you used to, at least that way I know you still have an inkling of that violence I know and love."

Despite herself, Sheena grinned at the familiar banter. For all of his ego, he still knew how to best bring normalcy back to a conversation. She cocked her fist and bumped it against the side of his head in compliance with his request before saying, "There, the banshee will be back to make you feel comfortable for a little while. Don't tempt me into really kicking the crap out of you though, because it'd be no fun beating up on an invalid."

"Now that is much better." Zelos chuckled, and he walked along with her back to the bonfire that had died out sometime in the night. He sat himself down on a nearby log and wrapped an arm protectively around his stomach as Sheena joined him there. He could see her mood beginning to lighten, and though he wanted to ignore the source of her initial discomfort... He knew it would be no good to turn his face away. He had heard bits of pieces of what had happened inside of the temple, and even he was finding it difficult to keep being so firm. He opened his mouth to comment sombrely, but the words failed him when he saw her close her eyes and let out a long and deep sigh.

"It feels like I'm in some nightmare that doesn't want to end. I know it's real, I mean, I can still feel his sword at my throat... but I still can't shake the idea that I'm in a nightmare." Sheena kept her eyes closed, as if trying to resurrect every single sense of the moment of meeting Lloyd again. The torn emotions were playing havoc with her heart, and she wondered if she'd have room for all of it. "Nothing makes sense anymore... and I'm feeling so lost..."

"He didn't hurt you. That proves he's not all that much changed." Zelos pointed out quietly, but the words still sounded hallow. He knew halfhearted platitudes would do her no good, but it was all he had and he knew it was important to try. The pain of the entire team was becoming too much to bear, and even if he wasn't sure of it all himself... He wouldn't let them dissolve over it. "Lloyd's a stubborn SOB, everyone knows that... but he loves every one of us like family. We're all he has... Hell, sometimes he's all we have too. We can't doubt him just yet. Not when the pieces of the puzzle aren't all here, don't you think?"

"You've been spending _way_ too much time with Colette. You're sounding just like her." Sheena shook her head with an exasperated roll of her eyes, but she could feel the knot in her gut pulling looser at his words. He didn't sound all too sure of himself either, and strangely, it was that hesitancy that allowed her to believe in him more. He wasn't going on blind faith, and even he was letting himself be swayed... but not enough to entirely ruin his trust. She could sit with that much, she was certain. "Thanks for that... I think I needed it more than I wanted to admit."

"No problem, Sheena. Not a problem at all." Zelos replied with a grin, and he nudged their shoulders together one more time as they sat side by side in the raising dawn. He would see her smile again with all honesty soon, even if it meant he needed to drag their leader back kicking and screaming. He leaned back on his good hand and titled his head back to look up into the cloudy morning sky. Their next destination would have them moving west, towards the Temple of Earth, and he wondered errantly if a repeat performance of this temple. 'This time we know what we're up against... We'll give no quarter.'

**AN:**

**It's been awhile, mon amis! I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I've been a bit busy lately, with so much surgery going on in my mouth. (grumble) My wisdom teeth keep on getting pulled, and I end up being too drugged up to want to write... And in addition, I've been introduced to the new world of video game emulation... and it's taken me by the claws. XD I've just beaten Star Ocean, am beginning to delve into Tales of Phantasia, and want to grab myself some Persona games while I'm at it. At the moment though, I'm brain-storming madly for ANW while a handful of kittens clamber up the side of my borrowed bed and drive me nuts. I'm covered in so many scratches that my mom looked at me with a suspicious glance and I had to tell her that I'd just spent an hour playing with the kittens. They are so adorkable... I swear that one of the males is going to lose 25 percent of his brain function... He runs around like a wild animal and then ends up slamming headfirst into the board that keeps them confined in the spare room. It's funny as hell to watch, even if it scares me a little bit.**

**And speaking of kittens... I've met mine. Well, she kinda just chose me, rather than me picking her. I was partial to a black/orange little girl, who has the most unusual colouring that I've seen. Half of her face is black, while the other is orange, and it's perfectly symmetrical. The rest of her fur is faded striping, and she's very talkative. The first time I sat down to play with them she climbed onto my leg and licked at my fingers for a flat five minutes. My little sister beamed at me and said I'd been chosen, and I'm quite happy. I'm naming her Eris!**

**Anyway, so the thick is plottening, and I'm enjoying myself heartily. Mind you, I really don't like Auin... or Tasogare. They aren't very cooperative characters... I'm also going to be replaying ToS very soon, which of course will give me more inspiration to continue. And for a hint at the next chapter...**

**You wanna know? Review, my friends and I'll give you each a singular hint about what will be following!**

**PS: Apologies for any typos this chapter, I'm too exhausted to do some full-length editing. If you notice any errors, please note them in a review, and I'll fix them at once!  
**

**~ Sky**


	19. Changing Tides

**Ruins of the Tower of Salvation**

**Tree of Mana**

**Early Morning**

A terse atmosphere surrounded the ruins of the once majestic tower, and two solitary guards stood firmly side by side before a cavern created from the fallen stone and metal. The entire mountain range behind them was full of soldiers likewise hidden behind rocks and trees, giving the two a sense of security as they stood at the entrance. From deep inside of the cavern a faint glow dared to touch the back of their uniforms, but they paid little attention as they spotted from the coast a solitary figure heading towards them.

Both soldiers stiffened, and the taller of the two's left hand became firm on the long spear that he'd been leaning against. The shorter soldier thumbed the hilt of her sheathed blade, and from underneath her visor her lips pulled back into a frown. Her human eyes couldn't see as far as her half-elven companion's, and she asked in a low growl as her hand readied to pull out her scimitar, "We weren't given clearance for any visitors today. Can you see who it is, lieutenant?"

A beat of silence passed before her partner let out a muttered expletive in elvish and nearly dropped his weapon in his haste to stand at perfect attention. He nudged her hard with his elbow to have her do the same, and he hissed out of the corner of his mouth, "Straighten up you idiot! That's Master Yuan!"

"M-Master Yuan!" She repeated in horror, and behind her visor her hazel eyes grew wide. She hastily shrank back against her post and tried to arrange herself into a more professional posture. She let her hands fall back to her sides, and she glanced up at her tall companion before hissing, "Wasn't he scheduled to be in Mizuho right now?"

"Guess he wanted to make a side trip." He answered hoarsely, and he bit down on his lower lip as the leader of the Renegades came within hearing distance. The teal-haired angel was moving swiftly towards them, and both soldiers swallowed down their sudden influx of anxiety. It was a first to see their leader so close considering their middle rank in the legion, and both were unprepared for such a thing.

As Yuan came close, the two guardsmen snapped to a crisp salute in greeting that he returned with a stiff nod. He moved his head slightly to the left to gesture that they were to allow him entry, and immediately they stepped aside to open the cave's mouth for him. He walked inside without a word, leaving them to exchange a nervously relieved glance.

Yuan knew the path he walked down well, and the winding corridor opened wide as he approached the centre of the man-made cave. Sunlight streamed in through the broken ceiling, and the wisps of magical energy danced around the beams as the protective barrier filtered in the light while keeping out anything potentially harmful to the sapling. The creek that had been irrigated into the cave was burbling quietly, and Yuan took a short moment to breathe in the pure air that surrounded the new tree.

It had been a long year of work to create the tiny haven around the new Tree of Mana, but Yuan had taken his new role as the protector seriously. He closed his eyes and let the peaceful atmosphere calm the tension that had been building in him for the past few months. He still was trying to piece together the strange incidents that were taking place all over Aselia, and the mana flow that had yet to stabilize. Inside of the chamber he was more aware than ever just how thin the mana was, and cautiously he approached the tiny hill that cradled the sapling.

He took a knee before it and reached out to caress the underside of one of its tiny leaves. The thin veins felt rough underneath his touch, and a tiny smile lifted his perpetual frown. Despite the world of anxiety, the new Tree of Mana had grown just enough in the past two years to no longer seem as fragile as it had the first time he'd laid eyes on it. His eyes were soft as he caressed the growing symbol of a connected world with a careful touch that seemed afraid of its own strength.

The words Lloyd had spoken when he'd been inducted as the guardian still rang in his ears as clearly as they had two years before. The spirit guarding the tree was the same one he knew back during his own adventuring days, and his chest tightened even now when he thought of her. Her name left him in a quiet, sad whisper as he sank back on his haunches with his eyes glued to the tree, "Martel..."

Still, he knew it wasn't essentially the same Martel he had hoped to marry. She had said so to Lloyd upon her introduction, and Yuan let out a little sigh of defeat as he relinquished his touch on it. There was no point clinging so desperately to things he long had tried to lay to rest, but he refused to allow his love for her to fade away. His life was to be long and lonely, but he would fulfill his promise of protecting her until he could no longer do so.

His thoughts drifted to the red-haired angel that had taken Derris Kharlan and a mass of Exspheres to space, and he shook his head tiredly. His former companion had contacted him once, and only once, since he had left the planet to confirm the disposal of the Exspheres he had been entrusted with. Yuan had said nothing of his son, knowing that it would only bring his old friend more pain than he deserved.

"_There are no more Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals on Derris Kharlan. The disposal is complete."_

"_Very well. Thank you."_

"_I will destroy the communicator after this transmission. There is no more need of me to contact you again."_

"_... I understand. Be well, Kratos Aurion."_

"_You as well... my old friend."_

"A fool to the last, even in farewells. It's almost impossible to wonder about who his son really takes after." Yuan shook his head to banish the memory of that last call. As he had expected, Kratos did not contact him afterwards, and he doubted that another would ever follow, even centuries in the future. He and Lloyd shared a painful brand of stubbornness and loyalty, but Yuan had to admit that Lloyd's sense of idealism was given to him by his mother. "A twisted situation for certain, this entire business..."

Neil's body had been buried only yesterday after the investigation had turned out everything that possibly could be found. The damage in Asgard was under strict control now that the city's refugees were being relocated, and in Meltokio security around Seles Wilder had been tightened to the point of pain. Mizuho had opened its doors to the Renegades, but their ears were mostly silent, to his frustration. Lloyd and Tasogare were reported to have been seen working together in the Temple of Lightning but now were smoke in the wind. He knew that the remaining company of heroes wouldn't waste time trying to chase them, but would rather continue their tasks of checking the remaining temples in hopes of beating the Desians to the strongholds.

Yuan shook his head tiredly as he attempted to wrack his brains again in an attempt to unearth memories he simply didn't have. He could only faintly recall the two angels that had been named as taking up the Desian regime, and the little he knew only annoyed him. Tasogare, from all he could recall, was quiet and efficient, never once drawing attention to herself. She worked underneath Forcystus in Iselia at one point, but never had shown a loyalty to any of the Cardinals, or even Seraphim. Auin however was even more of a mystery. He had known that Magnius had a lieutenant who rivalled him in bloodlust, but he'd never cared much for the Cardinal's stupidity. He'd had little doubt that his favoured lieutenant was likely just as thick-headed... but in recent events, he was wondering how they had flown so well under his radar.

Mithos Yggdrasil was defeated and buried. His body had been discarded long ago, and his Cruxis Crystal shattered. The mana within his body had settled inside on Lloyd's own Exsphere for a heartbeat of a moment before disappearing in the wind. Martel was beyond "rescue" now that her soul had merged with the tree in a perfect unison... and he could only guess at what these new Desians were searching for.

Hordes of Exspheres were being broken open, and many prisons across Aselia were being looted. Half-elf persecution was becoming chaotic with so many attacks by so-called Desian supporters rejecting the racism while others were growing more angry and vengeful. He could understand if ranches were springing up again in secret, but the reasoning behind it was still confusing. With the discovery of the truth behind Exspheres, it was becoming out of practise to use them for militant or industrial use. The world was changing slowly, but it still was changing... and the world of Aselia was running out of uses for Exspheres underneath the present government.

Then of course, there was the curiosity of the raging mana flow. From an intense thickness that prompted magic users to tap into their previously hibernating abilities, to an extreme thinness that brought back painful memories of a declining world where starvation and loss of magic were rampant. Yuan could guess that if more human ranches were beginning to be created it would be enough to hamper the flow of mana, but the influx would make little sense unless another force was churning out mana at a different pace. He was no scientist and admitted that in his four thousand year long life he'd been preoccupied with more than the flow of mana between a declining and flourishing world. Of course, little of that mattered when Aselia was a single planet now.

"Ahh, there's too many questions and not enough answers. There's no real point to musing over things that I cannot help." Yuan muttered aloud, and he gazed down at the tree responsible for trying to settle the imbalance. Such a tiny plant was working harder than any living being could possibly work, and truly the fate of the world rested on if it could hold tight to its control. He moved fluidly to his feet and kept his gaze firmly on the tiny little plant that he'd happily shed blood over. "Martel... I know you may not be able to hear me... but I thank you for everything you are doing."

He turned away, intent on keeping his vigil over his solders, and a little gust of wind fluttered his cape and hair in a butterfly's kiss. Yuan closed his eyes at the whisper against his skin, and for a moment he was back in the past, during a time where he'd been so much more of a man than he was now. He could feel Martel's thin arms wound around his shoulders as she stood on tiptoe behind him, pointing out constellations he'd never paid much attention to as a soldier. He could hear her gentle and musical voice explaining the ancient stories behind the shapes in the night sky, and he could taste her chaste kiss that they shared from the prying eyes of her little brother and his best friend.

Happier memories flooded his jaded body and warmed the scars about his heart. He couldn't go back to that time, but he could use it as a strength to push him forward. Mithos was dead, and Martel ascended to a new plane of existence, and Kratos was gone... leaving him behind. Yuan opened his eyes and a strong glint of steel set his jaw. He would not mourn his losses, rather, he would accept them. He was the sole remainder of the ancient group that had once saved the world, and he would keep the story close to his chest to help the new heroes of the generation. It was his duty.

He wouldn't allow them to suffer the fate that he and his comrades had.

* * *

**Southwest Meltokio**

**House of Guidance**

**Noon**

"Welcome, adventurers." The young priest was all smiles as he noted the two strangers who crossed through the gate seeking sanctuary inside of the small house nestled up against the mountains. One was in a dark and well-worn cloak that covered her entire thin body, and she was nursing a bandaged arm in a sling and looked as if she had seen one too many battles. The other was a strapping young man who, while wearing a similar travelling mantle, looked less battered physically. Still, a haunted look darkened his adust eyes, and he was carefully avoiding contacting his partner as if worried he would hurt her if they touched.

It was the man who reached into his cloak to retrieve a small bag of Gald, and he handed it silently to the waiting priest who blocked the door. He expertly shook the bag to measure the Gald inside, and then angled himself so they could move past and into the church for rest, and he called out after them as they took his gesture, "Dinner will be served at sundown, if you are staying that long. Thank you for your patronage."

Lloyd was silent as he took the steps two at a time up into the third floor of the church. He was directed to the end of the hallway and into a small room with a single bed, but he didn't complain as he sat down hard on a chair by the window. His legs hurt from the hours of running, and his ribs still ached from the scuffle he had with Sheena inside of the Temple of Lightning. As he watched Tasogare pull her cloak off, he winced in sympathy as he took note of her still bloodied bandages. She had come off much worse in the battle with Zelos, and her body showed the numerous wounds she'd received trying to buy him time. It didn't help that she'd re-opened her barely closed wounds fighting off Auin's henchmen the day before either.

He watched without real interest as she took a seat on the edge of the bed, and he noted that while she wasn't changing her bloody and used wrappings. Instead she only retied the knots that held them in place and settled down gingerly in the corner of the room on the bed. She carefully arranged herself in a better seated position and let out a hiss of pain when her movements irritated her skin. "Blasted swordsman..."

"He really went to town on you." Lloyd commented quietly when he picked up her low oath, and Tasogare raised a sardonic eyebrow at him in response. He felt an evil sense of victory for what his comrade had done to her, even though she had really only gotten into the battle for him. Zelos' angry asserting of Tasogare's mortality had reinforced the idea that he and her were really on equal footing for the most part. It was a relieving thought, and one that allowed him to play her game in a style that befit him. "Zelos isn't a pushover."

"He would have died years ago if he was." Tasogare replied blithely, and she finished tying the last knot by using her teeth before settling her back into the corner. She nudged her discarded cloak with a bare foot and off of the bed, and then glanced back to see Lloyd fingering the hilts of his swords. She could sense his anticipation, and for all truth it fuelled her own. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before commenting quietly, "He would have been a truly dangerous opponent if he'd battled on logic instead of emotion. He was sloppy."

"And he still nearly made you lose the use of your right arm." Lloyd pointed out with a raised eyebrow at her tone, and she scoffed with a shake of her head. He understood where she was coming from, he'd received the lessons himself long ago, but he was still annoyed by her arrogance. However, the state of her injuries elicited in him a sense of curiosity. Especially when he noted that even in that battle, wounded and at a disadvantage, she hadn't drawn her blade. He knew she wouldn't carry it for show, and he asked bluntly now, "And you never went for your sword once during that fight, did you? When I came back you were duelling with daggers. Why carry a sword that you never plan to use?"

There was a beat of silence, and Lloyd saw Tasogare's lips purse in an uncharacteristic grimace of annoyance. He felt a little pulse of satisfaction, knowing he had hit a nerve, and he pressed on, wanting to dig as deep as possible to have her show emotion again, "Auin was making some sort of comment at you about your sword, and I'm curious now. I don't think I've ever seen you draw it even once, hell, you never even touch it."

For a moment a flare of true irritation flamed in her golden eyes, but as quickly as it had come it disappeared into a metal mask. She looked pointedly at her blade but as he had stated before, she didn't touch it with her hand. Rather, she simply nudged the blade with her knee so that it better rested against her leg. Her voice was perfectly even as she asked him a question of her own in answer, "Tell me, Irving. You lived with a dwarf all of your life... In all of your journeying, have you ever met a blacksmith on par with a dwarf's skill?"

Lloyd blinked, taken aback by the out of the blue question. At first he opened his lips to complain at her dancing about, but when he saw the steel shining in her eyes he understood that she was leading up to an explanation, but wanted him to figure it out by himself. He grunted as he came to the annoying realization that she simply didn't like explaining anything, but he answered truthfully, "No. Even in Tethe'alla, there wasn't a blacksmith that could come close to Dad's level of work. The dwarfs just have a talent that humans don't."

"And when combined with the magic supremacy of elves, dwarfs are capable of creating the most fantastic of weaponry." Tasogare added on, and again her eyes flickered to the red-leather bound hilt that spoke of many decades of use. The scabbard itself was scarred and notched, but something about the blade hidden inside made Lloyd suddenly nervous to see her draw it. She kept it at her side at all times but never drew it, speaking of a supreme caution that made him almost afraid. The skills of the elves in magic was almost unsurpassed, and he could imagine well what a dwarf could create with such powerful catalysts. "This blade is no exception to that rule, even if it was made under protest."

"Under... protest?"

"The legend surrounding the sword is that long ago an ancient war hero was in need of a blade, and sought out the dwarfs to have it made for him. However, they refused his request until he... persuaded them with unscrupulous means." Tasogare paused at this, and her lips pulled back into a half-smile that proved her knowledge of the irony. She continued on as she sensed Lloyd's dissatisfaction, "So, the dwarfs went to work on the blade, and poured their skill... and their hatred into their craft. What they gave to that soldier was a sword of gold that was said to cleave any substance with a single slice... and one of utter destruction. The sword is rumoured to kill a person every time it's unsheathed, and not by choice of the wielder. Furthermore, three great sins will be committed with every new owner to take up its power. You could say the blade is a cursed weapon embodying the hatred of the dwarfs being forced to make a weapon for a war they had no part in."

Her words hung between them like a deadly miasma, and Lloyd gave the innocuous looking weapon a good hard look for the first time. He couldn't see the substance that made up the blade, and part of him wondered what good a sword forged solely of gold would do in the first place. The scabbard at least seemed to match a long life, and he could see specks of old blood flicked along the hilt when he peered in close, but that didn't necessarily mean her sword was _the_ sword she spoke of.

Then again, it wasn't as if he didn't believe her story. He had travelled long enough and seen too much to doubt legends and myths now. And he also had experience with cursed weaponry and embodied nothing but chaos and hatred in the Devil's Arms. It wasn't a stretch for him to believe that she was in possession of a sword underneath a similar curse, and it would likely explain her cautious nature. She had wanted Zelos alive in the Temple of Lightning, and to draw her weapon would mean she would be forced to kill him. There could be enemies about, but to be forced to take a life in a situation where one couldn't control who was nearby made for a need for serious care.

"I... I see..." Lloyd's gaze moved from the sword and then back to its owner for one last time before shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Regardless of whether he believed her or not, it didn't make the master of the blade any less deadly. He closed his eyes as he emptied his mind in an attempt to relax, and found his hands moving impulsively to grip the hilts of his two swords. The heat of Flamberge warmed one leg while the cold of the Vorpal Sword cooled the other, and he took a silent satisfaction from it. His fists clenched and unclenched, and he found himself speaking quietly, "Our next stop is the Temple of Earth, right? If we want to avoid another fight, we'll need to get going right away."

Tasogare allowed her lips to curl into a half-smile, taking advantage of Lloyd's blindness to indulge in an emotional display. She shook her head from side to side and then replied, "Traipsing out of sight will take up too much time. We'll bypass Gnome's seal and head due south, to Shadow instead. Gnome's temple is already lost."

"You really are intending to usurp Mithos." Lloyd shook his head a little at her quickness to write off the Temple of Earth. She didn't seem to really care about the repercussions of losing the seals to the others, at least not personally. He viewed her with new eyes, more weary of her now that she'd outed herself as a traitor to the Desian's cause, "How long have you been working against him?"

"I never worked _with_ him, if that's what you're insinuating." Tasogare answered flippantly, but her honey gold eyes had taken on a very stony tinge that warned him to tread extremely carefully. "I simply joined the Desians to claim power, like most half-elves before me. I was used by Yggdrasil, and so I used him in return." She closed her own eyes now and settled back into a comfortable seated position, letting him know that she was through with his curiosity.

'Used... So she was a Chosen in the past after all?' Lloyd said nothing now, knowing she'd answered all she would. He shook his head as he looked at her now, cold and distant, and he wondered how such a person could carry the title of Chosen. She showed no love for anyone, and even her acts of charity seemed to hold a more sinister undercurrent to them. He didn't understand, but he worried that maybe he didn't want to in the end. She carried something deadly and disgusting, and he wasn't sure he was prepared for the real truth of her goals and methods.

The silence between them stretched on, with Lloyd too lost in thought to bring up a conversation and Tasogare not interested in speaking. A full hour ticked by before a knock on the door startled Lloyd from his chair, and he glanced at Tasogare who simply nodded to let him know that it was no one dangerous. He opened the door to see the priest from earlier standing there, and his voice was pleasant as he said, "Dinner is being served downstairs, if you and your comrade are hungry. The chefs have whipped up a delicious pork roast with salad. I'd advise hurrying before it's all eaten."

Lloyd glanced over his shoulder at Tasogare, but she had closed her eyed and was ignoring him. He nodded at the priest and allowed himself to be led back down to the lower levels where the dinner was being served. He took a seat at the far end of the long table and served himself a heaping plate before tucking in silently. The house was full of travellers and pilgrims, and Lloyd was mildly surprised to see how much talk and play was occurring there. A group of mages were busily playing some gambling game involving dice, while a swordsman was chatting away with an axe-user about weaponry. Other men and women were engrossed in their food or packing their bags, and Lloyd took a moment to relax as the warm atmosphere washed over him.

His eyes flickered over to the corner of the room where a trio were seated, and for a moment his heart pulled angrily in his chest. Two adults, a man and woman were sitting around a tiny table, and in the woman's lap was a young girl who was happily babbling on and on about something he couldn't hear. The parents, though looking weary from travel were all smiles and indulged their child with laughter and nods as she went on.

'I wonder... if Mom and Dad were like that when they were on the run...' Lloyd mused, and he dropped his gaze back to his half-full plate before realizing that he was no longer hungry. The little family had struck a painful chord in him, and he grimaced as he tried to block out the image of Sheena's expression of betrayal from the Temple of Lightning. It hurt in ways no physical wound ever could, and he rested his head in his hands as he tried to breathe through a constricted throat.

"_It's a little late for you to not want to hurt me now."_

Lloyd was pulled from the memory before it could really start by the sound of coins clinking on the table by his hand. He started in alarm and looked down to see the little girl from before standing at the edge of the table, her wide brown-sugar eyes twinkling with a youthful glee. Five golden coins sat on the table, and he blinked as he realized she had been the one to put the coins there. His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, and he leaned forward automatically as he questioned, "Are you giving these to me?"

"Uh huh." She answered with that same sweet smile that pulled Lloyd's lips upwards in a mirror image. The girl couldn't have been older than five or six, and she wore baggy clothing that had seen one too many winters despite her youth. She was lean with travel but still radiated that perfect cheer of childhood. She pointed at the coins as Lloyd picked them up, and informed him with all the authority of a five-year old, "Daddy says that money doesn't buy happiness, but Momma says it helps. You don't look happy, so will this make you smile?"

The act of charity and her smile did something strange to Lloyd's heart, and he heard something slowly coming back to life. With a low chuckle, Lloyd handled the coins and placed them one by one back into the girl's little hands. He then reached into his own pocket and picked out five more and added them to her precious pile. "You look like you could use those more than I could, so why don't you take them back and have some of mine too?"

"Whoa, Mister!" The brunette girl's eyes widened in astonishment, and she mouthed the number of coins that she now held twice. She shook her head and reached out to hand them back, but Lloyd ruffled her hair and put his own hands up in refusal. A little frown pulled at her lips, and she said quietly, "But you weren't smiling..."

"I am now, aren't I?" Lloyd replied with a grin, and he was slightly surprised at himself for being completely sincere. The little girl had effectively re-awoken his spirit, and he would've liked to give her everything he had on him but he knew she wouldn't take it. "It's okay. Take it, keep it, and buy yourself something sweet as a treat."

"I-If you're sure, Mister... Thank you!"

"Never been more." Lloyd assured her, and he watched as she left his table to return to her parents to show them her reward. They both reacted with proper alarm, and they looked over at him as if preparing to return his present, but he waved them away. A paltry five coins was nothing compared to the gift the girl had given him with her smile and cheer. Her kindness had re-awoken his drive to continue forward, as he again understood what it was that was driving him. He relaxed back in his seat as a warmth filled his chest, and he tucked back into his meal with a sense of relief. It wasn't as if his hurt was gone, but he knew better how to handle it, and again could see the goal he was working towards.

"No... Thank _you_..."

* * *

**Temple of Earth**

**Noon**

"Ow..." Zelos griped unhappily as he eased himself down the cliff-side that led to the depths of the temple. His stomach ached with every step he took despite the healing he'd taken earlier that day, but he'd pushed onwards anyway. He was beginning to regret his stubbornness however now, especially when he saw Colette staring worriedly at him from her perch on the cliff's edge above. He sidestepped wearily as his Sylvaranti counterpart skipped neatly from the edge, using her wings to catch the air and slow her descent until she touched down without effort to the ground. He pulled a face at her ease, and grumbled as Sheena repeated her performance with the same grace, "I'm being shown up by girls. Today is not my day."

"At least you didn't get carried down." Sheena pointed out with a raised eyebrow and a mischievous grin, and on cue Genis began to splutter indignantly. The young mage had sprained his ankle on the last jump, and had been forced to steal a piggyback from Regal in order to make it to the ground. Colette giggled at the joke, and Regal smiled patiently while Raine shook her head with fond indulgence.

"I-I couldn't help it, there was an uneven patch of dirt–" Genis began in a desperate attempt to redeem himself, but when Zelos smirked at him he knew it was a lost cause. He scowled at the dirt and at his wrapped ankle, knowing there would be no returning from his tripping over his own two feet. He slumped down on himself and muttered sourly, "At least I made it the first two jumps without anything happening..."

"We'll simply travel with more caution now." Presea said simply and with a mild shrug, but Genis still looked as if he was ready to put his head through the nearest wall due to embarrassment. She glanced down towards the centre of the cavern that housed Gnome's seal, and a little frown pulled at her lips at the silence that filled the temple. Even though it was commonplace now for there to be no monsters roaming the lands, there was no shaking the unreal feeling of it. Rather, it set her more on edge.

Regal noted the axeman's hand lingering on the handle of her great weapon, and he took a glance around the abandoned mines with a wry sort of frown. There was no sign of life there, even the group of gnomelettes from their last trip had disappeared from their home since then. He crossed his arms over his chest and cast his eyes over the well-travelled path before turning to Colette and questioning, "Can you hear anything, Colette? Or is it silent the entire temple over?"

"Um..." Colette closed her eyes and pressed her hands against her chest as she began to pour every ounce of her focus into her hearing. With the deadening of her sight her hearing automatically grew sharper, and she cast out a mental net in an attempt to pick up every sound she possibly could.

For a moment Colette kept her eyes squeezed shut and stood painfully still, even holding her breath as she strained her senses as far as they could go. She let out a long breath after what seemed like a century, and her body slumped in on itself before shaking her head sadly, "There's really nothing out there. For the most part I can hear everybody's heartbeats, and sometimes a gust of wind... but nothing else. It's... really eerie."

"We must remember that our enemies are angels themselves, so they will know how to work around Colette's sensibilities." Raine pointed out with a shake of her own head, and frowns passed around the group as they conceded her words. They had been proven already in the Temple of Lightning, and she hated to imagine being caught off guard a second time. She wouldn't allow it to happen again. "We'll need to proceed more carefully as we get closer the seal... We cannot afford to be hasty."

Sheena sighed with a quiet annoyance, but she relented without comment. While she knew a battle wouldn't be in the best interest of her and her companions, it didn't stop her from itching for one. The anger she had been working to bury was bubbling beneath the surface yearned for combat. It needed an outlet. She reached a hand into their opposite sleeves to idly finger the cards that rested inside of the seams to ease the ache.

They began walking down the trail, only for Presea, who had been leading the pack to stop abruptly in her tracks. Her eyes narrowed to suspicious slits, and she tilted her head in the direction of the cliffs that bordered the trail. Her friends muttered in surprise, only for Colette to yell over the din in a scared voice, "Scatter! NOW!"

Regal moved on instinct, grabbing Genis and Raine by the backs of their clothing and yanking them back with all his might. From the corner of his eye he saw Zelos lunging for the nearest alcove in the rocky wall with Colette's hand tightly wound in his. Presea and Sheena however he didn't see, but part of him wasn't concerned. All that mattered to him in that moment was ensuring that his wife and brother-in-law were safe from whatever was attacking.

Milliseconds after the blond's warning, an explosion erupted from where they had been standing. A column of smoke, debris and dust created a maelstrom of chaos that hid everyone from sight. From behind the rock face, Regal cursed under his breath at the sharp bolt of pain that struck his exposed back as he positioned himself in front of Raine and her brother. He looked up to see Raine staring at him in alarm as her hands protectively encircled Genis to her chest, clearly as winded as he.

From above the trail, perched easily on the edge of a large cliff sat a small figure flanked by several armoured soldiers. He tilted his head to the side as his lifeless grassland-coloured eyes surveyed the dust cloud that completely obscured the trail. He pushed himself easily to his feet, and his grey mantle flapped with an odd wind around his childlike frame. He could see nothing on the ground below, and he guessed that his enemies had hidden themselves in the labyrinth of cliffs and boulders in order to protect themselves from his magical attack. His voice was bored as he remarked in a boyish mutter, "I missed..."

"Shall we send more men in to flush them out, Sir Duneyrr?" A soldier from behind him questioned hesitantly, and he took a step back and away from the mage as if worried he would be the next to be attacked. The other men and women flanking him likewise were carefully edging away, proving a deep fear for the child-mage they were serving.

Duneyrr let out a long suffering sigh, but his eyes never once showed a flicker of life. He stared down listlessly at the settling dust and debris, noting without interest that the ten soldiers surrounding him flinched away when he moved. He flexed his gloved fingers slowly and patiently before mumbling, "No point in wasting troops. They'll scurry out on their own. Curiosity is their weakness."

The youth's words were proven correct within seconds, as a blond head poked out from behind the cliff's edge near the north entrance of the temple. He held out a hand to stall an archer's raising bow, and waited as the angel pulled back behind the protective stone. His keen angelic eyes allowed him to note the movement of the others, and satisfied with the knowledge, he raised his voice a little and called out, "You are trapped here. There is no escape. You can surrender... or you can die. Choose your destiny."

From behind the cliff, Zelos let out an undignified snort of mirth. He rested his arm protectively over Colette's middle as he pressed her back against the stone, and looked over at the confused blond before calling out over the field, "He sounds a lot like you, brat. Arrogant and tiny."

Genis rolled his eyes at Zelos' insistence to banter, even in the midst of a dangerous situation. He could understand Zelos' desire to try and goad the newest enemy they encountered, but he didn't find it wise. He couldn't sense the newcomer's mana, but he did see just how much damage the spellcaster had wrought with a simple fire spell. The trail was a mess of dust, and several of the smaller boulders had simply been obliterated. He winced just thinking about what would have remained of him and his friends if the spell had struck them head-on.

The thought made him cast his eyes to Regal, who was leaning heavily against the cliff side in obvious pain. The president had taken a glancing blow of the magic spell to his back as he'd thrown him and his sister to safety, and even such a near miss had burned his clothing through. Raine was currently treating it as best she could considering the conditions, and Genis cursed quietly as he hoped everyone else had made it out without harm.

He had entertained the idea of slipping out of the alcove to see if he could catch a glimpse of the attacker or his friends, but upon looking at Regal's wound he decided against it. The mage was a powerful force, and Genis had no desire to be on the receiving end of such potent magic. His eyes narrowed somewhat, and he looked again at the wound marring his brother-in-law's back. Raine's glowing staff hid most of the injury, but Genis caught sight of an inch of horribly red flesh, and he hissed reflexively in response. It amazed him how easily Regal had put his body in peril for a chance to save him and Raine, and he planned to make it up to the duke for years in thanks.

Now though his thoughts turned to Presea and Sheena, who he'd glimpsed fleeing the area before the spell hit. Sheena had dodged left while Presea went right, and he muttered under his breath in prayer, "Please be okay..."

The thought was interrupted by a second blast that shook the outcropping that he was currently hidden behind. He barely heard his sister let out a foul curse that normally would've made his ears turn red before he was thrown bodily underneath her and against Regal's chest in an effort to be protected from the rocks that came tumbling down in response. He yelped in shock as something hard struck the warm body resting over top of him, and his mind froze in horror as he heard his sister groan in pain somewhere above his head.

"Raine!"

His hands instinctively reached for his sister, wanting to protect her from harm but they were clasped tight by a larger hand that came from beneath. He dimly saw Regal gritting his teeth as he was clasped protectively against the man's chest, but his mind was solely for Raine as the woman lay herself flat over her husband and brother. It seemed like forever before the shaking stopped, and when it did the professor began to rise only for Genis to whisper again, "Raine! Raine, are you okay?"

"Damn..." Raine muttered painfully as she tried to straighten, only for her back to moan in protest at her movement. The falling rock had nearly knocked her unconscious, but somehow she'd managed to hold in an effort to keep the debris from falling on Genis and Regal. She opened her eyes to see her brother staring at her with unrestrained terror, and unbidden a tiny smile lifted her lips with relief. She nodded when his small hand reached to touch a newly acquired cut on her cheek and murmured softly, "I'm alright."

"That was so stupid!" Genis hissed back in admonishment, but his sister looked completely unrepentant as she nudged him aside so she could see how Regal had made it. He shuffled away obediently, but his eyes were sharp as he took in his sister's wounds. She was covered in dirt, and her robe was now slashed in numerous places, but it was the blood leaking from a sizeable gash in her forehead that had him concerned. "Raine, you're cut..."

"Head wounds bleed more than most, and it's a shallow one at that." Raine replied indifferently, and she carefully helped her husband into a sitting position while brushing blood from her eye. She ran a quick hand over Regal's torso in examination for injury, before placing the same hand over his back to finish sealing his wound. When he reached for her wrist to pull it away, Raine glared at him and spoke in a sharp whisper, "Don't you dare, Regal Bryant. If I don't treat that burn immediately you may lose your ability to stand straight. Remove your hand."

Genis fully expected the duke to argue with her given the set of his mouth, but to his surprise the man simply reached up with his good hand to tenderly brush his fingers other the wound in his wife's forehead. A wry smile curved Genis' lips at their actions, but his good humour faded as he heard a similar blast strike a nearby rock face to his right. He cursed quietly as he realized the meaning behind the attacks, "They're trying to smoke us out!"

"They're doing a fine job of it." Raine replied darkly, and she glared over her shoulder to where a column of dust was rising from a fallen boulder. Her mana hummed a low hymn as it buzzed about her hand, and she turned her gaze back to Regal as she tried to speed up the healing of his back. "We're on the defensive now, and we've no idea how many men they have out there. Plus, these ruins aren't the ideal place for a siege. We can't defend ourselves against what we can't see."

"I didn't sense him at all. I still can't." Genis muttered angrily, and he glared in the direction of the latest attack. He'd never heard of anyone being able to disguise their mana, and it infuriated him to no end to know that another spellcaster had gotten the better of him. "What kind of being can totally erase their mana signature from others?"

"I'm not sure. It could be a battle technique." Raine suggested halfheartedly, only to cringe as a magical blast slammed into a rock face not ten feet from their hiding place. She swore violently as her body instinctively leaned over Regal, and she hissed, "Whatever it is, it's making it impossible to track his next move. We'll be killed if this keeps up!"

"We... need a distraction." Regal ground out between his gritted teeth, and his eyes squeezed tight as his wife's magic sealed the last bit of flesh on his back. The pain of the burn had seeped right into his muscles, and he loathed the idea of standing but he still forced himself to sit up. Raine's hand was tender as she helped him to right himself, and Genis pressed carefully against his left arm to aid him as well. "They'll continue to attack until we've been flushed out, and then we'll be easy prey."

"That's comforting." Genis grunted sarcastically, but the worry in his features betrayed him. He had no idea how his friends were faring under the onslaught, and his stomach drew tight as he imagined Presea in pain. His teeth grit, and he found himself trying to get to his feet without even thinking of it.

Raine, however, did think and she grabbed him roughly by the arm and forced him back to a sitting position. Her eyes were cold, and her voice angry as she warned him, "Don't even think about it! You'll be killed in an instant if you step foot in the open! You can't hope to make a run for it!"

"Someone has to try, you heard what Regal said!" Genis argued back, unsure of why he was even being so illogical. He knew as well as Raine did that he wouldn't last if he tried to play a decoy. He wasn't quick, and lacked the reflexes that would make him difficult to hit. Still, the image of Presea lying injured burned in his brain, and made it impossible to think past it. He struggled against his sister's grip and snapped, "Someone will get killed if this keeps up–"

A surprised shout from above interrupted their argument, and the two siblings snapped their heads about before cautiously peering around the corner to see what had happened. Up on the cliff where the mage and his soldiers had stood was a raging ring of flame, and floating just above it was Efreet as he held forth his hands to keep the fire burning. Genis whistled appreciatively at Sheena's clever distraction, but he also knew that the ninja was in no shape to hold her summon for too long.

"We need to start a retreat." Raine muttered tersely as her pale eyes focussed on the shimmering sparks of mana that made up the Spirit. She had seen Sheena hold a summon for a good ten minutes to decimate enemy troops during a raid on a ranch, but she had also known just how exhausted the lengthy magic had made her. Sheena was in no condition to hold her power for that amount of time, and so they would need to use her distraction to its fullest extent.

Genis opened his mouth to agree, but it was cut off when a giant column of ice burst up from the fire to slam into Efreet's mighty chest. The Summon Spirit bellowed with pain as the frozen spear ran him through, and in sparks of smoke and fire he disappeared. The fiery circle he had created stormed on still without him, but the Sage siblings knew it was only a matter of time before it was put out as well.

It was the young mage's turn to curse as he yanked out his kendama from his belt, and he began to bounce it as his eyes flickered shut to allow him to concentrate. It was a risk to attack magic with magic, but Genis was tired of playing defensive, and he had every intention of pulling his own weight along with Sheena. Within seconds ancient runes began to scrawl themselves on the ground beneath his feet, and a crackle of electricity rippled through the air. His voice followed the electric spark, and it was deep and laden with mana as he intoned, "_I call upon thee in the land of the dead to unleash thine fury of thunder..._"

Up on the cliff, in addition to the fiery ring that enclosed the group, a second circle of violet energy began to pulse. The uniformed soldiers cried out in shock, but the boy in the centre merely stared as if absently intrigued by the magic. He tilted his head as the circle began to glow a hot white, and he raised one hand above his head and muttered a single word in elvish just as Genis' voice cried out from below.

"_INDIGNATION_!"

The unholy lightning slammed with a vengeance into the cliff, and shattered its surroundings with a deafening roar. A large crack appeared from the tip of the rock and made its way down until it had cleaved the face in two. Screams of terror and pain rang out over the ruins for half of a second before the voices fell silent, lost in the clap of thunder and shriek of electrified mana.

A long beat of stunned silence followed the attack, and as the spell began to fade, Genis let out a disbelieving gasp as he spotted the impossible. Standing in the fog of debris was a slight figure in grey, with a gloved hand still raised high as an emerald green sphere surrounded and protected him. The boy lowered his hand slowly as the last of Genis' mana died away, and his eyes seemed to glow with an unnatural light as he whispered into the shocked air, "My turn..."

He lowered his hand, directing it at Genis who was no longer protected by the cliff. Following the young mage's example, an array of ancient symbols began to glow underneath his feet while an aura of red engulfed the boy. Duneyrr said nothing, but the mana swirling about him spoke volumes as his spell began to charge. Genis found his feet glued to the stone below, and he could only stare in dismay at what was happening.

The seconds felt like years as Duneyrr aimed his hand, and a wisp of flame moved almost playfully between his fingers. It called for the power that was yet to come; a burst of fire that would make Efreet pale in comparison. His fingers spread out, and the light surrounding him became blinding as his voice called out to complete the spell.

However he never had to chance to finish. With a flash of metal, the circle around the boy was shattered like glass, and he reeled backwards, clutching at his hand in surprise. Embedded clean through his hand, as his icicle had stabbed through Efreet, was a glistening dagger with a single strip of paper attached to its end. For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed over his youthful face, and he muttered as he saw the wisp of smoke that burned into the paper on the dagger, "Exploding kunai..."

A rough voice roared over the trail, and in unison every living being capable of understanding followed its command. "RUN!"

Genis felt his feet moving before he commanded them, and out of the corners of his eyes he saw Sheena and Presea launch themselves out of a shadowy nook just as Colette and Zelos revealed themselves as well. He could see Raine and Regal dashing for cover at the entrance of the trail, and he moved as fast as his legs would carry them for it. By some miracle the group managed to hit the entrance of the cave just a deafening roar of an explosion covered the area entirely, mocking the spells that had shook the cliffs and boulders. The ground heaved underneath their feet, sending the group to their knees as a second blast followed the first quickly on its heels, and was punctuated by a shriek of something akin to a demon escaping its bonds in hell.

As quickly as the loud chaos had come, it vanished to be replaced by an eerie silence of unknown. Only the breathless gasps of the heroes could be heard in the tiny cave that led to the entrance to the temple, and they all stared at each other as if taking in the knowledge that they were all alive. The moment lasted only for an instant, as it was broken by a quiet footfall from the direction of the blast, and in unison they turned as one with weapons drawn towards the new intruder.

Dressed from head to toe in a blood-red wrap stood a ninja of tall stature, and from above his black mask a pair of deadly onyx eyes glittered as he surveyed the heroes. He raised a single bandaged hand in greeting while his other loosely held onto a shuriken.

Sheena's hand loosened on her weapon, and her eyebrows furrowed together as she recognized the ninja who stood so calmly before her. She remembered well the last time she had seen the man, and she was confused to see her opponent from the Isle standing well and seemingly free of the shadow that had haunted him two years ago. She took a step uncertainly towards him as she called his name hesitantly, "Kuchinawa?"

Kuchinawa nodded once to her, ignoring the others who all bristled instinctively at his name. The blood-debt between Sheena and he had been wiped clean with the battle on the Isle, but the others were not bound by the tradition of Mizuho and remembered well his betrayal. However, he didn't care for their opinions and focussed his eyes on her and her alone as he spoke, "It is me. I didn't expect to find you here, so shortly after seeing you near death in the northern wastelands."

"Excuse me?"

From behind his mask, Sheena saw his eyes twinkle with a familiar dry humour that she remembered well from her youth. She was certain he was smiling, that same sarcastic smirk that he and Orochi shared, and he tilted his head a little as he extended his hands wide before him. "It seems you don't remember. We have much to discuss, then. About your enemies, your comrades, and more. I come bearing you good tidings."

"Give me a reason why we should trust you, considering you betrayed us once before." Zelos asked with a growl, and he took a step forward as his hand raised his sword in a threatening gesture. Colette reached to place a hand on his arm, stopping him from advancing any further but he still didn't lower his blade. His eyes were chips of ice as he snarled out, "I'm not in the mood to get screwed over. Me and my friends are being dangled around by some angel with a Goddess complex, my best friend is stealing Exspheres, and to top off this wonderful month I just got shot at by a pint-sized brat with some dangerous magical skills. You better have some damn good tidings if you want me to even consider not gutting you from the toes up."

"Zelos..." Colette murmured softly in disapproval, but she did understand his irritation even if she wouldn't have phrased it so crudely. Everyone seemed to be in similar minds, as they were staring wearily at the ninja who had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. It seemed too good to be true, and they were exceptionally suspicious now.

It was a surprise then when Kuchinawa tossed his shuriken at their feet and raised his hands together as if offering them to take him captive. His voice was clear though and it rang out in the cavern as he said, "Take me captive, tie me up, gag me if it suits your tastes even. I will go willingly. I have information for you, and would like to pass it on. Consider it an act of repentance. I would explain it all here if time was my ally, but I fear my kunai will only slow Duneyrr down. He will be tracking me in minutes once he recovers. It would be best if I explained elsewhere."

Raine's eyes narrowed at his speech, yet her mind buzzed with excitement at the prospect of his offer. They had been too long without any good information, and they all were desperate to know something, anything, about their enemies. She turned to Sheena, who was still seemingly digesting what Kuchinawa was saying, and prodded gently, "Sheena... This is your call. He was your comrade in Mizuho, and whatever happened during your battle was between you and him. No one else can decide on whether or not to trust him."

Sheena was quiet as she absorbed Raine's gracious words and her tawny eyes were dark as she scanned Kuchinawa from top to bottom. He stood just a little bit away from them, arms spread wide and shuriken discarded in a sign of trust. He looked just as she remembered before the poison of the Volt massacre had ruined their friendship. A proud man, but one willing to help his friends. Willing to waste hours of his time helping her to train, helping her sneak off from the village to explore the forest with her and Orochi, being a brother she wished she'd always had. It had killed her to know he'd hated her after the massacre with Volt, and she'd been furious with herself for never seeing his true feelings.

Now, two years after his defeat... He was back to the proud ninja she had aspired to be like as a young girl. His past wounds still weighed on him, she knew the haunted look in his eyes, but he seemed willing to change. To try and wash away his sins by helping them.

She felt the gazes of her friends on her, and her eyes narrowed slightly as she sensed their discomfort. They didn't like him, and she couldn't blame them. Yet, they didn't know the man underneath the mask like she did. They hadn't grown up with him and knew what good he was capable of.

'You thought you knew him, too...' A tiny voice whispered cautiously in the corner of her mind, and her nostalgic feelings were curbed abruptly. She'd been betrayed once too many times in the past few weeks, and she owed it to herself to be suspicious. She frowned as she locked eyes with him, and wondered what she could ask of him to prove his motives. She took in a breath, and found the answer to her question in a bolt of inspiration. Her voice was sharp as she posed the question to him, and question only she would really know the gravity to.

"You want me to trust you? Prove that you mean it, Kuchinawa. Tell me your real name, and then I'll listen to whatever you have to say."

**AN:**

**AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. XD It's been awhile, (and I say that a lot, don't I?) but oh well, no time to lag. It's currently 1:07 in the morning, Boxing Day, and I wanted to be asleep hours ago. However, while listening to Tenkuu No Canaria by Nana Mizuki on the way back from Christmas dinner with my relatives, I was struck with inspiration and had to stay up to finish writing this chapter. It was about time I brought back Kuchinawa, (who I wanted to be in this story since the very beginning), so I'm very glad to have him here. Granted, I tweaked a little on his backstory (we never knew much about him beyond him being brothers with Orochi), and I'm hoping I wrote him realistically enough anyway. The Isle of Decision sidequest was always my favourite one to play, and I always found great poetic justice in beating him with Volt. Regardless, I was happy to have the chance to bring him back in, and it appears that I'm finally also getting the chance to tie up strings... in the next chapter. -insert troll-face here-**

**Anyway, merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I'm praying to God I see you guys again before summer vacation! XD**

**EDIT: I apologize for the missing punctuation... Apparently no more exclamation mark with the question marks... Also, the AN it mildly outdated, but I'm not going to rewrite it, since I got a good laugh out of it. XD The next chapter to this is complete, but I won't upload it for about a week, to give myself time to keep writing. So, look forward to it, and let's keep at it!  
**

**Mood: Chipper**

**Listening To: World is Mine - Miku Hatsune (Vocaloids)**

**~ Sky**


	20. Towards The Light

**Southern Forest**

**Twilight**

"Turn your head a bit, your highness." Zelos instructed quietly, and he rested his palm carefully against the reddened skin of Raine's forehead. She obeyed the order and turned her head slightly to the left to allow Zelos to work. His hand glowed a faint green as the healing mana began to do its work and heal the injury she had received protecting her brother and husband. As magic began to fade, Zelos withdrew his hand to survey his success with a bit of a smirk. "Yup, perfect as usual. Don't be doing anything stupid and get your wounds reopened after my magnificent display, now."

"Zelos, if your ego could get any larger you would need two others to help you carry it." Raine remarked with a smile, and she reached up to touch the tiny scar that was the sole reminder of her wound. She shook her hair loose again and rested back against her husband's arm with a pleased and tired smile. "Thank you."

"Not a problem." Zelos answered with a chuckle, and he moved back to his spot across the fire that was burning merrily in the middle of their camp. He tossed a gaze over to his left, by the edge of the clearing where he could faintly see Sheena and Kuchinawa deep in conversation. Shortly after making her demand, Kuchinawa had accepted her deal, but on the single condition that they could talk alone. That had been a good two hours ago, and they had retreated to make camp in the meantime. Now, he was curious about what sort of information the rogue ninja was sharing, but he knew better than to try and eavesdrop.

So he satisfied himself with watching Genis teach a rather intrigued Presea how to cook some sort of cream soup. The young mage was pointing out directions in a cookbook of his that he'd unearthed from his pack, and Presea was studying it with an intense focus she normally reserved for battle. Zelos chuckled as he leaned back against the tree trunk he'd made his bed beneath and was ready to continue watching until he heard Sheena and Kuchinawa returning.

The sounds of movement came to a halt as everyone turned to watch the two ninjas make their way back to the bonfire. A moment of silence passed as Sheena looked to Kuchinawa, and something unspoken passed between them. The red-clad man sank down onto his knees in a firm sitting position, and the others slowly gathered around to listen to whatever it was he had planned to tell them. He rested his hands calmly on his legs as he took in a deep breath and spoke once he was sure everyone was paying attention. "The group you are facing are remnants of the Desian horde you scattered to the wind two years ago. Most soldiers among their ranks have cut their ties to Cruxis, and have returned to their roots, and their original goal."

"To assert half-elven authority." Genis finished darkly, and he shook his head as he imagined the hundreds of half-elves thirsty for vengeance on their oppressors. It went far to explaining the raids on towns and cities once famous for racism and unjust laws, and the growing unrest between half-elves, sympathizers, and humans as a whole.

"Correct." Kuchinawa's tone was perfectly flat, and his mask effectively hid any expression he could've been wearing. He reached into his pocket and fished out a perfectly round object before tossing it onto the dirt in the centre of the circle he and the others had formed. The emblem of Cruxis glittered in the firelight, and Kuchinawa explained quietly, "However, most of the Desian hordes are unaware that Cruxis is still pulling the strings from behind. Many of the soldiers, while rejecting Cruxis... Still are faithful to Yggdrasil. They want revenge for his defeat, and have been pushed in your direction by the generals leading the army. It is why you were attacked."

"Considering that the little bastard left them all to die without him, I'm a bit impressed by their loyalty." Zelos remarked with an exasperated shake of his head. He couldn't deny it, as many of the Desians that had been found and imprisoned after the restoration of the worlds had called out for their leader, demanding retribution for his death. "So, while they're out trying to dominate the world, they're also going after us in a quest for revenge for their fallen leader? Great."

"Likely they don't really believe he abandoned them." Regal commented with a tired sort of defeat that was shared by the others. They all knew well how it felt to want to cling to something that was poisonous to them, and even though it was foolish, they couldn't fault their enemy for doing the same. He looked back to Kuchinawa, clearly wanting to know more and his next words were stronger and firmer when he spoke again, "So, the Desians orchestrated the attacks on us... but you made mention of generals. Are we correct then in assuming Tasogare and Auin are the true leaders?"

"You are, but you aren't." Kuchinawa answered with a shake of his head, and a steely glint in his eyes. He swept his gaze around the group, taking in their haggard appearances and from behind his mask his lips pursed into a scowl. He had hoped the information he'd received about the group having already faced with Tasogare and Auin had been false. "The two angels are indeed at the top of the command, but they too have a master to answer to. Who this master is, I do not know, but he alone holds their allegiance. I do however know that the two generals have four men under their command, and they are above the horde of Desians that make up the bottom ranks. You have already met two of them, and slain one."

"Dvalinn, the archer was one. I'm guessing the half-pint from earlier is another?" Zelos asked with a raised eyebrow and a confused glare. He understood enough how the archer had likely been one of the four in a position of power, but he was a bit confused how someone looking for all accounts like a child could be another so high in the food chain, magical abilities aside.

"As you noticed, Duneyrr is a powerful mage. Dvalinn, his brother was an archer of fame back in his youth, and his other brothers, Dáinn and Duraþròr round out the foursome as brawlers. They are all siblings, and have served in the ranks of Cruxis for well over four centuries." Kuchinawa answered with a hint of grimness colouring his already dour tone. He could see Zelos scowling as he realized what was to come next, and the ninja lessened no blow as he confirmed the redhead's suspicion, "The remaining trio have called out an oath to destroy your group, commands to desist ignored, for the death of their brother. They will be tracking you without hesitation from now on, and with a strong force of soldiers at their call."

"And of course, that is just what we need." Genis ground out between tightly gritted teeth at the ever worsening news the ninja was giving him. He could barely believe their bad luck. He looked to Zelos, and for the Chosen's credit, he looked completely unrepentant for causing the death of Dvalinn. He couldn't blame him for it, and so Genis griped unhappily, "So now we've got a band of pissed off angels, half-elves, and some evil overlord thirsting for our blood. This is not our year, apparently."

"Do you know much else about the generals? Perhaps their motivations, or specific pasts? Anything would be of help." Raine piped up with narrowed eyes and a firm set to her chin as she thought of the golden-eyed angel who had proved herself to be a worthy foe in a battle of wits and brawn.

Kuchinawa shook his head wearily from side to side, proving that he had tried and failed to dig into that himself and came up empty. He clenched and unclenched his hands and spoke wearily as he answered, "I tried to find as much as I could, but it was like trying to catch the mist. I only know that Tasogare and Auin have been bitter rivals for many centuries, and have played a long game of attempting to usurp one another in any way they can. Where Tasogare plays a game of wit and strategy, Auin uses brute force. The two are not well-mixed."

"I guessed as such, but we may be able to use their in-fighting to our advantage somehow somewhere down the line." Raine raised a hand to her mouth and chewed thoughtfully on her thumb as thoughts began to race through her mind. Tasogare was wily, and not above using any tactic she could. Auin was not as subtle, and Raine would've preferred making him an enemy rather than Tasogare. A logical opponent was more dangerous to defeat than one who simply swung a sword to solve his battles. "If they truly have been enemies for this long, she may relish a chance to defeat him in a simple fell swoop. If we can offer her a chance to do so and she accepts... we can cleave two birds with a single stone."

"It won't be that simple to defeat her, but it would be worth a try." Zelos agreed, and he glanced over to Presea and Colette who hadn't spoken once in their conversation. He could understand their reserves, even if it did irk him a bit. Presea still felt as if she owed Tasogare for saving Genis, and Colette sensed something in the angel that made her hesitant to consider her an enemy. He turned back to Kuchinawa and changed gears now, "So, now that we've got a bit of solid intel... I want to know where you stand in all of this. I didn't expect to see you again after Sheena kicked your ass back into line, and as grateful as I am for you getting us out of that mess... I still would like a few answers."

"Those are for me alone, Zelos." Sheena cut in before Kuchinawa could answer, and she saw her old comrade glance in confusion at her for her sudden defence. She didn't understand it much herself, as she knew that the answers would've gone a long way to smoothing out the unease between her friends and Kuchinawa. Still, as the chief of Mizuho, and as an old friend of the ninja she sat beside... She knew it would be unfair to him to spill the secrets of his reason for showing up now. "All you need to know is that he's trying to atone for his mistakes, and this is how he's going about it. Anything else is between him and me."

"That's fair." Colette interceded as she sensed Zelos wanting to argue, still not happy with Kuchinawa getting away so easily for his betrayal. She felt his hurt, and admitted that even she felt a little weary. Yet, over her own misgivings, she knew the ninja was working hard to earn their forgiveness, and he had already earned Sheena's. Colette knew she could accept that, and she pointed out quietly to Zelos, "If Sheena is willing to forgive him, that's good enough for us, right?"

"We aren't bound by the customs of Mizuho, and so I won't give you my trust just yet..." Raine said firmly, and her eyes were cold for a long moment as she met Kuchinawa's flat stare. The fact that the ninja met her gaze made her eyes flicker, and finally they softened a degree as she traded her glance to Colette, and she amended, "But you're working well to earn it, and that much I will give you."

"I agree with Colette. You have earned Sheena's trust, and so you have mine." Presea agreed softly, and she lifted her chin a fraction as Kuchinawa turned his eyes to hers. She knew well the lesson she'd been taught about forgiveness, and she refused to hold the bitter emotion of blame and anger to her chest if she could release it instead. The ninja had risked something to come to their aid, and that was enough of a show of trust for her. "I will forgive you."

"Me too." Genis chimed in just behind Presea, and he traded a smile with the axeman and Colette in response to his words. Sheena's forgiveness was all he needed to know, and while he understood his sister's unease... He wanted every ally he could possibly have now.

"I will withhold judgement for now, but I will trust you with the information you have provided us thus far." Regal said firmly, and with a quick glance at Raine who was still surveying Kuchinawa carefully. He knew his wife wasn't ready just yet to throw her lot in with the ninja, and he was glad that she stuck to her instincts when betrayal was concerned. "Do not disappoint us."

"I can't exactly keep going against the grain, so I'll stick with what President Bryant and his smoking wife say." Zelos finally added with a wave of his hand and a roll of his eyes. He couldn't blame the others for forgiving him, even if Raine and Regal weren't as hasty with it. He'd been accepted back into the group well after performing a similar stunt, and couldn't complain about the treatment of Kuchinawa. "Just don't do it again and I'll behave myself."

"My thanks." Kuchinawa nodded solemnly at them, and for his eyes, there was no expression on his face at their words. He looked back to Sheena, and then slowly ambled to his feet as if knowing he'd spent too much time with them. His voice was measured, unaffected by their forgiveness and care, "I will return to my post within the ranks, but I will need to disguise myself to do so. It will be difficult for you to contact me, and so I shall leave you with the name of a man who will know more than I. He was a turncoat to the Desian forces, and aided the ninja of Mizuho before in collecting information about them."

"That's a relief to know." Colette breathed quietly, and her body sagged a bit as the burden of worry slowly eased itself from her shoulders. She was tired of being in the dark, and was grateful for every little bit of information that could help clear away the fog. She tilted her head a little and questioned the ninja curiously, "Will he be able to give us information on Tasogare and Auin?"

"I cannot say, but as far as my knowledge of him extends, he predates the both of them by a good handful of centuries. It would be safe to guess that he knows at least a little more than I." Kuchinawa answered carefully, not wanting to put up the hopes of the heroes in case the lead was dry up on that particular request. While he did have faith in his source, the traitor had been out of communication with the Desians for quite some time. "He was a traitor, and had left the Desians to go into hiding. He is living under an alias in Meltokio, posing as a common man. He now goes by the name of Hector, but I caution you that in order for him to divulge his secrets, giving him my name will not be enough."

"Of course it won't. There always has to be a catch." Genis groaned plaintively, and even the scolding look from Raine wasn't enough to curb his bad mood. He found himself wondering when they would finally get some real good news, and he turned to demanding of an amused-looking ninja, "What do we need to do to get him to spill his secrets? Does he want some Mana Leaf Herb too? Or maybe we've gotta dig up some other ancient and long-gone object that will be equally hard to find?"

"Genis, I think you've been spending too much time with Zelos. His sarcasm is rubbing off on you." Sheena remarked with a raised eyebrow and a hint of a grin at the mage's whining. While she admitted she was feeling rather sour too at all of the bad news, she was rather heartened by the antics of her companions. They made for a great semblance of order to the chaos all around her, and she treasured them all the more dearly now when she needed them the most. She turned to Kuchinawa, curious now though since she could tell he was a bit amused by Genis' words too, which gave her a sense that it was going to be more of an annoyance than an actual trial. "So, what is it we're going to need to do to get him to tell us what we need to hear?"

"He is an avid participant in the coliseum, and practises there monthly. He will want to test your battle prowess." Kuchinawa explained, and at once he heard a groan go up from the assembled heroes. He wondered if they had a similar experience with the coliseum and were tired of having to run about to do a simple task. He felt for them, but knew that the old half-elf was set in his ways and would not help otherwise. "If you prove yourself, he will tell you what you want to know. He is a strong opponent, and bested me without trouble, but he was pleased with my experience and told me what I wanted to hear. Do not fear defeat, but do not tread lightly. I have confidence you can beat him."

"The next series of matches should be starting in a week's time." Presea noted with a little frown, and she glanced up into the night sky with a thoughtful frown curving her lips. "If we take to Meltokio by Rheaird tomorrow morning, we would be there with six days to spare. A break from travel would do us some good, and we do need to resupply and rest."

"I guess that's it then. Our next stop will be Meltokio, and the coliseum." Raine said with a clap of her hands and a rather satisfied smile. Her body thrummed with anticipation, and she could feel that things, while dire, were slowly taking a turn for the better. The new information had returned her drive to continue, and she could tell her friends were similarly effected. "Thank you, Kuchinawa. You've been a great help."

"I am pleased to have been of service." Kuchinawa lowered his head in a formal bow, and he spoke with a conviction that didn't match his impassive features behind the mask, "I will do my best to aid you in the coming trial. I am grateful for your words of kindness. I shall contact you again with more news in later days."

The others bid him a quiet farewell, and he took his leave just as silently, melting into the woods. He set off at a good run, bounding through the trees to his next destination until he heard the sounds of footfall approaching from behind. He stopped abruptly, perching in a tree as the sound of his follower came closer before stopping in the tree just across from him. Sheena stood balanced on a large branch a stone's throw away, and his eyebrows raised as he realized she had given chase when he'd left. "Was there something else I forgot to mention that you perhaps want to know?"

"I have one question for you, and I wanted to ask you in private." Sheena replied quietly, and there was a painful darkness in her eyes that made Kuchinawa automatically weary. He knew what she was going to ask before her lips parted to give form to the words, but out of respect for her rank, for their childhood friendship, he let her speak. "Why did you save me in the wastelands when you found me nearly dead? You haven't forgiven me yet. I know you haven't. I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at me, but you still saved me. You still brought me to Meltokio... You still helped us today. Why?"

Kuchinawa felt himself closing off from her out of habit, not wanting to give her the answers she was seeking even though he knew she deserved them. She had already told him that she didn't want his real name, that it didn't matter to her when he had been about to give it to show her that he was an honest man. She'd even invited him back to Mizuho, an offer he had declined, but the gesture was one he knew could put her rank as chief at risk if the other ninja disagreed.

Then he was back in the wastelands, travelling back from the forests and to Meltokio to connect again with Hector about the latest stirrings he had been investigating in secret. It had been chance that he'd found her, so close to death on the side of a path she had collapsed on. He remembered standing over her, feeling a rush of power and blackened emotions he had tried to quell in the passing years since he'd exiled himself from Mizuho.

He could kill her easily. It would almost be a mercy, considering the extent of her wounds. No one would ever know that it had been him to deliver the final coup de grace either, when she was already in such bad condition. A single wound more would be impossible to differentiate from the myriad scarring her body. He could have vengeance, finally, and settle the anger and hatred he still felt for her.

Still, he hadn't been able to do it. Something had stayed his hand as he looked down at her fragile and broken form that day. The emotions were still there, boiling away angrily and demanding action... but he couldn't find the will to end her even though part of him wanted, no, craved it. Instead, he'd carefully gathered her onto his back and begun the travel to Meltokio, knowing she would find friends there, and be healed. When he could've ended her life... He had saved it.

Now he looked into the tawny eyes that had once made him burn with hatred, and found the ugly emotion lessening just a little bit. He remembered well the time when those eyes had watched him with adoration, and he'd lavished the same love onto her with his brother. The memories did well to soothe the ache within him, and remind him that Orochi had been a better man to forgive her for an accident she really did not mean to commit. She'd been a child then, unable to comprehend and do the duty given to her... and he'd been a child himself, clinging to hatred and anger that had been misplaced.

He answered her honestly, knowing that amidst it all, he had to give her truth if he ever wanted to really be free of the black claws that ensnared his heart to this day. "I do not know, Sheena. Even when you forgive me, pity me, attempt to reconcile with me... I know that deep in my heart, I still cannot return your kindness. Not yet. I am too angry. Too bitter. I have much to banish within myself before I can return to Mizuho, return to you and my brother as the brother I was once to you. Perhaps I saved you to atone for my earlier transgressions. Perhaps I realized that killing you wouldn't soothe my hatred. Perhaps I still find myself thinking of you as I used to in my youth, as a sister I needed to protect. I... just don't know."

The pain in his voice at the truth did the job in breaking down the last remnants of distrust in Sheena's heart, and she bowed her head in acceptance. There wasn't anything else she could ask of him now, and she turned her body a little to the side, prepared to rejoin her comrades at camp. Her voice was quiet as she spoke her farewell, unable to meet his eyes, "I can accept that answer. I hope one day, you can come back home, Kuchinawa. Where we both belong."

Kuchinawa watched her bound away into the darkness, with only the slightest noise of tree branches being shaken as she leapt from tree to tree. He was silent as the night swallowed his former friend, and he found a tiny plume of hope beginning to warm the deepest pit inside of his chest. His voice was firm but full of longing as he whispered after her with dreams of home and his family saturating his thoughts, "I hope for that too."

* * *

**Temple of Darkness**

**Midnight**

Lloyd sensed the irritation that kept Tasogare's pace fast and angry down the curving path that led deep into the underground temple and towards Shadow's dias. However, he made no note of it as he jogged silently after her. The honey-eyed angel looked as placid as always, but there was no disguising the purse of her lips, or the chilly glint to her expression. At another time, Lloyd knew he would've dug a knife into her back in an attempt to deepen the wound, as petty as he felt for admitting it. Now, though, the news that had led to her irritation boded ill for him as well. So he followed her deeper into the temple, silent and obedient in the race to collect the cache before Renegade soldiers tried to beat them there.

His eyes narrowed as he was taken back to the unfortunate soldier who had relayed the message of what had been going on in the fortress to the north since her departure. The poor man had been shaking like a leaf as he met them in the tiny church just due north of the temple. His news had been dour, and haltingly he'd explained the sudden disappearance of three high-ranking soldiers, who had each taken a garrison of men with them. Auin had apparently given them leave to do as they pleased, releasing them from their duties as men of Cruxis. It had been after the last piece of information that Tasogare had visibly reacted with a scowl, and the messenger had fled outright then.

He couldn't blame the foot-soldier for running off, as what had happened next surprised Lloyd, and likely had even caught the angel herself off guard. Her hand had leapt, seemingly of its own accord, to her blade's hilt and gripped down tight as if ready to draw it. Lloyd had watched, unsure, as Tasogare grabbed her right hand with her left by the wrist to halt herself. She had stood there for a full minute, teeth grit down tight and face pale as she struggled with herself to remove her hand, and by the time she had managed it, blood was trickling from her wrist where she'd gouged herself in an effort to regain control.

Silently, as if nothing had happened, she'd bandaged her hand and told him in the same blase tone she always used that they had overstayed their welcome. An hour later, they had made their way into the temple, and still she hadn't spoken of what had transpired. Lloyd knew she would likely refuse to if he questioned her outright, but he had a sneaking suspicion that he already had the answers from what he'd seen.

The words he'd been suspicious of were true. Tasogare's behaviour proved it, and he no longer doubted the fact that she was wielding a cursed blade. He had experienced a similar feeling, wanting to draw the Devil's Arms simply because they wanted him to. Anger was always a driving force behind a cursed weapon asserting control in its wielder, and in Tasogare's loss of temper, the blade had called for her. He didn't know how hard she fought, or if she completely overwhelmed the desire or nearly escaped it, and that was a question he planned on never asking of her. She'd saved his life, and the lives of whoever was nearby by refusing to submit to the blade's wish to be drawn. For that act of compassion, as small as it was, Lloyd would give her reprieve from his venom.

There were other questions he wanted answered though, and those topics were not out of bounds. He'd given her ample time to recuperate from Auin's treacherous move, and now he wanted to know what three men had been set loose and after his comrades. As Tasogare kept up her rigid pace, he stepped to her side instead of behind and questioned as the flickering glow of the blue candle he held in his right hand illuminated their path, "Tell me about the men Auin let loose. Are they the foursome you've been ordering around Aselia?"

"While I did order the four to perform various tasks, only two were strictly under my command." Tasogare answered after a moment, baffling Lloyd with her willingness to answer. The rarity of the moment kept him silent, and she took it as leave to continue on. Her voice was flat and devoid of any emotion whatsoever as she explained, "You met one briefly, Dvalinn the archer. The second was Dáinn, who you exchanged words with at Thoda. The other two you do not know. A mage by the name of Duneyrr and a brawler, Duraþròr. They are brothers."

Lloyd's eyes narrowed as he remembered Dáinn, and a frown curled his lips in distaste. The angel's threat had not fallen on deaf ears, and he still had a sword he longed to plunge into the angel's chest for it. He could see the face of the fallen archer in the scythe-bearing fighter, and knew the resemblance was true. He also understood why the remaining three were now on the hunt, and he ground out angrily now, "They know that their brother was killed in the Temple of Lightning, and so they want revenge. Auin saw the perfect opportunity to try and get rid of my friends and get one up on you in one move. Smart bastard..."

Tasogare let out a grunt of annoyance at that, but she didn't refute Lloyd's grudging praise. It was true she had been out-manoeuvred, but she didn't plan on allowing his move to put her in check. She still had many pieces left to play, and knew she could easily take back what had been lost. She kept moving forward, and asked Lloyd brusquely, "What do you know of The Fallen? I assume you were taught the history of Desians."

Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows at the question, but he knew she was making him fill in the blanks, or leading up to another explanation. It was a favoured tactic of hers to make him feel slow, but he put up with it. Any information he could gather was good enough to warrant an insult or two, and so he wracked his brain for every lesson Raine had ever tried to drill into his head. Luckily enough, he had always paid attention when it came to the Desians, and so he answered her, "The Fallen were humans who were drawn into the Desian fold because of the lure of power. A lot of them would join ranks just to get strong, to be equipped with Exspheres."

Tasogare let out a quiet scoff, and she shook her head at the information as she answered him with a bit of exasperation, "Yes, but no. History strangely never manages to get everything right, no matter how it is written. Part of your explanation is correct, The Fallen were indeed humans, however the name itself comes from not a large influx of humans seeking power, but rather a small group. The brothers you know of are the original Fallen. The first humans to join with the Desians. They were a small mercenary band, quite well-known back in their day. With each brother specializing in a different form of combat, they were well-equipped to deal with almost anything they could find... until they grew bored with their marks."

He didn't need much else to make the connection, and a disgusted breath left him in a snort. Hunger for power left one handicapped in many ways, and he knew what was coming next. He finished her explanation in a disgusted mutter, "And then they sold their swords to Cruxis, and in exchange were equipped with Exspheres or Cruxis Crystals. Then because of their sudden turn, the term Fallen became widespread, and they attracted other men hungry for power to the Desians too."

"Exactly. Their move was unprecedented in those times, and it brought men flocking in from every corner of Sylvarant." Tasogare nodded in agreement to his disgust, and a tightness pinched her features as she noted their homeland and the start of a darker era. "Many men were eager to swear allegiance to the Desians if they could become powerful as the brothers had, but Yggdrasil had no love for them. They were made into foot-soldiers, or carted off to the ranches if they showed no promise. Rumours swirled that the ancient kings killed the brothers in retribution for the minor uprising, and in response the brothers went into hiding as they worked for Cruxis to quell the attention they brought to the Desians."

"You don't like humans either." Lloyd pointed out with a raised eyebrow at her condemnation of humanity and the noting of Yggdrasil's disgust with them. He had suspected she was a half-elf like most angels were, but her words cemented it to him now. He could understand why too, if she was as old as she claimed to be. If Genis had suffered in his short lifetime, he could only imagine how much hatred and persecution Tasogare had faced in her many years.

"That much is true. I've no love for humans. For that matter, I've no love for elves, angels, or half-elves as well." Tasogare noted grimly, but her stride didn't break. She didn't look back at him, but she didn't need to to sense his frustration with her half-answer. She would give him no more information on herself, as one tiny bit was more than enough. Instead, she switched topics and continued on from their first, "As it is, the brothers are now on the hunt for your comrades for Dvalinn's death. They are more skilled than he was, and will prove to be difficult opponents. I'm sure they are already closing in on your comrades as we speak. It would do us well to empty the cache here and return to the fortress quickly."

"What are you going to do there? Call them back?" Lloyd asked sarcastically, unable to help himself from making the remark. He knew as well as Tasogare did that Auin's release of the men meant they owed no more allegiance to Tasogare, and they wouldn't obey any orders anyway now that they were motivated by revenge.

"Hardly. I have damage control to perform now that Auin has made his first move." Tasogare replied just as bitingly, and her voice turned sharp and deadly as she called her hated enemy by name. Her pace picked up considerably as her irritation mounted higher, and she growled out to Lloyd who she knew was still rather angry with where she placed her priorities, "Whether or not you care, I have a role to play in this scheme of ours. I can't be seen gallivanting off when my ranks will be in chaos. I will return to the fortress and repair what can be repaired, and launch a counter-attack in the meantime."

Lloyd cursed her mentally for the truth in her words, and he held back the scathing remarks he wanted to shoot at her. She was in a more perilous position than he, and her cover as a loyal Cruxis soldier demanded she attend to her affairs. It didn't mean though that he needed to be happy about it, and his teeth ground together as he questioned, "Do I need to go back with you?"

"No. You would likely only serve as a hindrance back at the fortress." Tasogare commented with a dry sort of wit, and she shook her head as if entertaining the idea of making him return anyway. She knew he'd only cause her trouble, especially if Auin noted she was dragging him around like a pet. She let out a long-suffering sigh before saying, "I'll have you continue your duties on your own while I attend to the matter of Auin's scheming... and you can take comfort in knowing you will only be raiding one more cache."

At this Lloyd instantly bristled with suspicion, and his mind took him back to the dark cavern that served as the home for what remained of Mithos Yggdrasil's soul. Though he hadn't been told of what his enemy was planning to do with such a vast amount of Exspheres... he had begun to guess. The numbers he and Tasogare had accumulated were many already, and his stomach clenched as he wondered if Cruxis had already succeeded in getting all that they required. "He's getting ready for whatever he's going to do with those Exspheres... isn't he?

Tasogare closed her eyes and came to a stop just as the bending road halted at the dias just out of sight. She turned about halfway, and met Lloyd's eyes in the fading light of the candle that had illuminated their way. On this matter she had agreed to tell him what it was she knew, for the sake of their tumultuous alliance, but to her surprise he hadn't asked. Now that the topic was breached, she felt a rare need to give him her undivided attention now. She answered quietly, with none of her usual cool or dryness, "Yes. In the past few months of raiding, and returning a choice few ranches back online... There have been enough Exspheres created and recovered to allow Yggdrasil to begin his plan. He will need a substantial amount of mana and power, which the Exspheres will provide him, to repair his soul enough to allow him to inhabit another body... and I'm sure you can guess who he wants to serve as his vessel."

Lloyd thought that the ground should have gone out from underneath him, or that he would be filled with dread, or at the very least rage. Yet, all he felt was a numb sort of understanding, one that didn't allow him to react in a way he figured he should've. It was a simple plan, a perfect one really for exacting revenge. He already knew that the fight to keep his soul in control would be useless, as Yggdrasil wouldn't make the mistake he had with Sheena.

Though she had only spoken of it once, Lloyd knew how badly she had been traumatized by it. Every minute had been years to her as she'd found herself caged inside of her own mind. Yggdrasil had tormented her, how she refused to elaborate, but what he had done left her screaming upon waking from the nightmares that had plagued her through the first year of their travels. She had nearly died trying to rid her body of his control, and Yggdrasil had been weakened because of it. He would make sure there was no soul to resist him this time.

Tasogare watched his expression carefully, weighing in on the look of pain that crossed his face as he relived a dark memory. She could guess what was besetting him, and wondered if he knew what would be in store for him if Yggdrasil managed to take his body for his own. She waited for a few moments, letting the knowledge sink as deep as it could into him before she spoke up in a hard-edged tone and told him exactly of what Yggdrasil planned to do, "He will obliterate your soul, and use your body to strike down your loved ones. Perhaps he will chain you in such a way that you will be forced to watch it happen without the risk of you asserting control again. To be frank, I'm unsure of which method he prefers. However, I do know that he wants you, and will have you. After he's finished exacting revenge... You know what he will do with your knowledge of the Tree. What he will attempt to do."

"Martel is dead." Lloyd said hollowly, but he knew his words would have no effect on Yggdrasil. The boy was mad, and there was no reasoning with him. What remained of the Hero of the Kharlan War was a twisted and sick remnant that barely resembled who he used to be. Martel's rejection, his sound defeat, the shattering of his soul... The combined traumas had warped him beyond repair. Lloyd wasn't even sure if he could call the creature inhabiting the remains of the Crystal Mithos Yggdrasil. "He really... is beyond any sort of help... isn't he?"

Tasogare heard the pity in his voice, and she marvelled that even after suffering so much that he felt for his enemy. That he wanted to save him, despite what had been done. She couldn't understand that level of empathy, but in return for it she answered him honestly. "Yes. He is beyond understanding, beyond caring, of the things he is doing. There is no logic, only a thirst for blood. Whatever person he was... exists no more in those shards of the Cruxis Crystal. It's almost a disservice to call him Mithos Yggdrasil now. If you truly want to save his memory... the best you can do is eliminate the twisted shell that remains of him."

"You really think there's... nothing left of him?" Lloyd questioned with honest but tired curiosity. He had wondered early on if there was anything remaining, but he doubted it now. Still, he wanted to hear someone else say it, validate his suspicions and his concern, so he could fight without hesitation. So he could have no second thoughts. "What would you call what's lingering on in the Crystal, then?"

"In a word... Hate."

**AN:**

**And there's the next chapter. It is a bit shorter, but I couldn't add the next part without dragging it on, and it didn't fit properly with this chapter's tone. The next one will be a bit longer, and full of more plot twisting action. However, this one did well in answering a few questions, and bringing a few of my bigger plot devices into play... Hehehe. If you couldn't guess, the theme of this chapter was "revenge". As I mentioned in the previous chapter's author's note, I really liked the Kuchinawa sidequest. I was disappointed to see no resolution of it in Dawn of A New World, but then again a good deal of it disappointed me. (sweatdrop) I enjoyed the new mechanics, (even if it took me ages to learn it!), and Emil was loveable, but... As a friend of mine remarked once, it would've made a good stand-alone Tales game instead of trying to sequel Symphonia. Anyway, I'm getting off tangent. As you may have noticed, the story is gradually progressing well, but it's growing more dark with every passing chapter. I'm trying to make the transition as smooth as I can, but... Well, as with Auin's exploits, some of them are just not easy to switch to. It's difficult to write, and I'm sure it's difficult to read, so I thank you for sticking with me. There's more to come, as I've got my groove back! Until next chapter, this is Sky signing off!**

**Also, for the hint to something that'll happen next chapter... A familiar face will be appearing, one who hasn't been in the story yet. Any guesses to who our mystery character will be?**

**Mood: Mildly Amused**

**Listening To: "Naraku No Hana" - Eiko Shimamiya (Higurashi No Naku No Koro Ni: Kai OP)**

**~ Sky**


	21. Risky Unrest

**Meltokio**

**Early Night**

As Zelos landed hard on his back for the third time in the past forty-eight hours, he wondered weakly how his luck had turned out to be so bad. The breath in his lungs left him in a loud whoosh, and pain rang out in his ribs from the sudden assault. He found himself unable to move as a pair of thin arms wound tight about his shoulders in a near stranglehold, and only when he heard the relieved gasp did he realize that Seles had been the one behind his latest knockdown.

He heard Sheena snort from somewhere behind him, and he picked up on Raine letting out a rare chuckle as well but the sound of his friends' amusement faded to the background as he sat up awkwardly with Seles clinging stubbornly to him. He raised his good arm to return her passionate embrace, and smiled a little as he felt her face pressing into the front of his chest so she wouldn't need to see his reaction to her uncharacteristic greeting. His voice was hoarse, as he was still breathless from the attack and the pain it'd caused him as he muttered, "It's good to see you too, Seles. I was only gone two months, did you really miss me that bad?"

Her voice was tiny when she answered, quiet enough only for him and maybe Colette to pick up on as she murmured into the front of his vest with her arms still locked about him, "I was worried."

At her confession Zelos felt his amusement fade away, and he sighed as he adjusted his arm around her body to a snugger fit. He rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, letting his sister take all the time she needed. It was the least he could do, especially considering what had happened to him the past few weeks. The laughter had stopped from the others, as if they understood what was happening, and he craned his neck to grin awkwardly at them. They sidestepped around him and Seles gracefully and let themselves through the open door, giving the two siblings some privacy, even if it was outside on the porch.

When the door closed behind the last member, Seles finally untangled herself from his embrace. Her face had turned the same shade as her hair, and she was staring at her lap when she pulled away. Still, there were no hiding the tears in her eyes as she mumbled a shamefaced, "S-Sorry about knocking you down... When Sebastian said that you were coming back to Meltokio I got so excited to see you, I didn't think." She peeked up through her bangs and her face was a picture of concern as she questioned, "Did I hurt you, big brother? Your wounds aren't too bad, are they?"

"You might've cracked a rib or two, but it's nothing I can't handle." Zelos joked with a grin, and she raised a hand as if to whack him but she lowered it after a moment of hesitation. He smiled gently at her kindness, and reached to tenderly pat her rumpled hair down into place. He raised an eyebrow as he finally took in her appearance, and he commented with a hint of exasperation and amusement, "You didn't even think to get changed before rushing, eh? Pink's a good colour on you, by the way."

Seles felt the blush reach up to the roots of her hair as she realized just what a sight she must have been sitting on the porch wearing nothing but a pale pink nightgown that just passed her knees. She leapt to her feet in terror, but Zelos was quicker before she could flee. He dropped his vest over her bare arms and closed it over her before she could argue, and he ducked his face down to kiss her temple as he said, "It's fine, I'm just teasing. We can stay outside like this for a bit longer if you want."

She glanced down at herself, weighing the odds of being seen by a passing noble. It would be the talk of the town if someone caught sight of her like this, but Zelos didn't seem all that bothered. Then again, he never did care about reputations when it came to the men and women of high status. She folded her arms over his vest which was much too large for her, but a timid smile lifted her lips anyway when she answered, "Okay. Just for a little longer, though."

Zelos plopped himself down on the top step almost immediately, and with a chuckle he pulled his protesting sister into his lap and squeezed her tight. She squeaked in protest and tried to squirm away, but her actions were halfhearted and a warm expression had come to her face. She leaned back against his chest and closed her eyes as he rested his chin on top of her head in an embrace she had been missing, and his next words echoed her sentiments clearly. "I missed you a lot, kiddo."

"I missed you too." She tilted her head against his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his frown, and her lips pulled downwards in response. She had already seen everyone who arrived with him, and her heart had caught at their looks of exhaustion and pain. Many of them were in various stages of healing, and looked exhausted. She could imagine that most had probably retired straight to bed, and was glad she'd pestered Sebastian to make up the rooms early. However, what truly brought her worry was the lack of the swordsman they had set out to find. The one she knew her brother loved like family. "You didn't find him... did you?"

The words brought a fresh wave of betrayal to him, and he struggled to keep the emotion from coming to his face as he reminded himself that Lloyd wasn't a man to sunder a friendship so easily. Colette was adamant that there was something driving Lloyd to act as he was, and he was going to believe in her words for as long as he could. It made sense, and it kept his heart strong to do so. To answer his sister, he shook his head and said tiredly, "No, we found him... just... not like we had hoped we would. There's something going on with him, something he's not sharing. We're gonna find out what it is though and drag him back kicking and screaming if we have to."

"Good." Seles nodded her head sharply in agreement, and folded her arms over her stomach. She had every confidence that her brother could do whatever he put his mind to. The two lapsed into silence for a handful of minutes, with Zelos staring thoughtfully at the horizon while Seles finally became aware of how tired she felt now that her brother had returned. She blinked slowly, feeling the adrenalin that had her taking stairs three at a time to reach the door fade away to be replaced by a strong weariness. Though she tried to fight it, a yawn made its way up and out before she could manage to stifle it.

Zelos snorted as he felt Seles growing limp in his arms, and he idly tightened his hold as if he knew she'd be unable to stay awake. He was reminded abruptly of his childhood, being introduced to the little girl he was told was his half-sister. Many days he'd sneak away from the castle to visit her home on the other side of Meltokio, climbing the vines by her window and leaping into her room to entertain her as she lay sick in bed. Every once and awhile she would be too sick to play with him, even getting out of bed would be too much for her frail body. So he would toss back the covers and join her, holding her much like he did now as he made up stories to tell her or read from one of her many books until she fell asleep. They were precious days to him, and he sighed with a fondness for the old memories. He nudged her gently, seeing that she was beginning to fade off, "You really wanna fall asleep outside, Seles? As cute as it is, it'd be a pain getting inside while carrying you."

"M'not falling asleep..." Seles mumbled in response, but another yawn betrayed the truth of her exhaustion. She snuggled against Zelos' chest happily, losing sense of where she was as her mind began shutting down. She had no energy as it was, and the warmth of her brother had her feeling safe and content once again. "Just relaxing..."

"And I'm Martel." Zelos chortled at the lie, but he stayed put and began rocking his sister's body slowly to help her fall asleep. It only took a few moments before she was out, and he grinned at the childlike behaviour she showed him. It had been too long since they'd been able to drop their pretenses and be a simple brother and sister.

Carefully Zelos adjusted her in his arms and stood, freeing a hand so he could open the door to the mansion. He was slow as he entered the mansion, and he glanced around in surprise when silence met his ears. He let out a quiet laugh as he realized that the others had likely already retired to bed, and the tiredness he felt beckoned for him to do the same. He shifted his sleeping sister to a better hold as he started climbing the stairs to her room so he could put her in bed.

The door was slightly open once he got there, and Zelos thanked whoever had the foresight to make his journey a little easier. He sidled in through the crack and moved to Seles' bed to deposit the girl. He tucked the covers around her, and paused for a moment to smooth her rumpled hair out as he stood at her side. She slept on oblivious to him, with a happy smile curving her lips as she dreamt. Zelos chuckled a little at her, and leaned down to kiss her forehead as he whispered, "Sweet dreams, Seles."

He left the room as quietly as he entered, and as he moved down the hall where the guest rooms sat he came to a stop as he saw one of the doors open like Seles' had been. His curiosity got the better of him, and carefully he poked his head inside only to stop short as he realized who had occupied the room.

Asleep in the bed at the window was the blond that had come to plague him as much as he enjoyed what she had begun to do unwittingly to him. Zelos stood perfectly still at the doorway, wondering angrily why fate seemed to be testing him more and more in the passing days. Since the night he'd woken to find her in his tent he had been doing everything possible to avoid being left alone with her whenever she was sleeping. It'd proved to be more difficult than he'd thought, and now it'd happened again.

Zelos felt his mouth go dry as he stared at her sleeping body, and he cursed the fact that she moved so much when she slept. The covers had become tangled about her, and the baby blue nightgown she'd gotten from Sheena last year as a gift was riding up her slim legs. His eyes instantly had moved there, eying the creamy skin that her clothes couldn't hide and his body growled with demand at the sight.

His feet wanted to carry him forward, with his mind already imagining everything he could possibly do to her. However he managed to remain still, gritting his teeth tightly together until his jaw hurt from the effort. She mumbled in her sleep, shifting a little before turning over onto her side. Zelos groaned softly as the thin strap of her gown fell down over her shoulder, giving him a good view of the neckline that was just deep enough to give a hint to her modest cleavage.

This time he couldn't stop his body from moving towards her, and he felt the ache of his awareness for her as it always did at the worst moments. He was at her bedside before he knew what he was doing, and his hand reached out to touch the bared skin of her shoulder. His fingertips just brushed her hair when she murmured again and rolled over, and he heard her sigh quietly in her dreams.

"_Thank you for believing me."_

Zelos jerked away hard, staggering backwards from the sudden motion. His body was cold, and the hunger he'd felt moments ago had vanished. The thoughts he'd been entertaining turned dark and twisted, and in disgust he turned his back on her. Anger coloured his vision red, and he stormed from her room and down the hall, not knowing exactly where his feet were leading him. He passed by room after room, and took the stairs down to the front door before bursting outside with a muffled curse. The cold air did little to soothe him, and he stared impassively at the city that should've made him feel at home. Instead the walls and buildings felt alien to him, and he growled as he took a well-travelled road that led to the back streets.

He knew the road well as he rushed down it, and the building he had been searching for glowed with light and was loud with laughter coming from inside. He didn't hesitate as he pushed the door open, and the welcome sight of men and women filling the tavern and drinking gave him a strange sense of relief. He picked his way amongst the tables, eying the bar where a single man was wiping off the counters. As he came close the bartender looked up, and a confused smile pulled his lips up as recognition hit him.

"Well, if it isn't Zelos Wilder. Been a long time since I've seen you here." The navy-haired man smiled in welcome, and before Zelos could place an order a large shot glass was placed in front of him on the counter and filled with a strong spirit. Zelos nodded in greeting and sat down heavily, and emptied the glass in a single go. The alcohol burned bitterly as he swallowed it down, but he ignored the feeling as he slammed the glass down back on the counter.

A tiny part of his brain warned him to be careful, remembering that even in his anger that he had responsibilities to take care of now. He ignored it however, and locked eyes with the surprised bartender as he ordered roughly, "Keep 'em coming, Dex. I need it."

"You look like it." Dex answered with a hesitant frown, but he complied to the order and refilled the glass. He stepped to the front as Zelos downed that one too, and leaned over on the counter as he asked conversationally, "I'm gonna guess you're having women troubles? You look like one of the jilted husbands who always come here."

The words hit closer to home than Zelos would have liked, and he snatched the third shot that was poured before the bottle was even upturned. His stomach clenched in protest to the bitter liquid and the speed that it was filling him, but again he paid no mind to it. The need for relief, to forget was too strong for him, and it was easier to lapse back into his old ways than it was to fight against it. When he put the glass down he grunted out bitterly, "You've got no idea, man. Hit me again."

Dex raised an eyebrow, and he paused in refilling the glass. It had been almost a full year since he had seen the redheaded man in his tavern, and only a handful of times in their history had he seen Zelos drown himself in liquor and women. He could sense that something deep was eating at the Chosen, but like every time he'd served the redhead there were no secrets spilling past his lips. Zelos was not the type to get drunk at the bar and mourn his sorrows for the entire place to hear. Rather he would drink until he could handle no more, and then he'd find a woman and sweep her away for a night. He wouldn't return for weeks afterward, seemingly satisfied, but every little while he'd return, needing to fill the emptiness inside of his chest.

"I guess this woman of yours really put a nail in you." Dex finally sighed as he tipped the bottle and refilled the glass for the fourth time. A flicker of true pain came over Zelos' eyes for a moment, but with a glare and a scowl he grabbed his glass and chased it away with the alcohol. "Must've been bad too, if you're gonna drink that much."

"Dex, just give me the drinks." Zelos told him wearily, but without the venom he initially intended to pepper his voice with. His energy was sapped, and the drinks were beginning to slow down his mind and take away what hurt. He relished the feeling gratefully, and looked up at the bartender as he finished, "I don't need the conversation."

"Nurse this one, and I'll give you another. Take it slow." Dex advised seriously, and he poured another shot for the Chosen before setting it down firmly on the counter. He walked away from the man, feeling a strange sense of guilt as he did so. As he put away the bottle, he noted one of the women of the bar eying the redhead with a feral sort of gleam to her eyes. Dex was no stranger to that, and he sighed as the brunette flounced over to chat up the sullen Chosen. As he leaned back against the counter, Dex let out a sigh and shook his head as Zelos returned the chatter with a deadened enthusiasm, "Somehow I just know he's gonna be regretting this in the next few days..."

Zelos was only absently aware of the stranger's hand on his arm, and as he glanced up to see her pulling at her dress' neckline he felt the familiar hunger beginning to stir in his stomach. His mind was still back in Colette's room, but as the woman smiled cattily at him and leaned up against him he knew it'd be easy to take away the last bit of pain he was still feeling. Zelos moved to his feet and wrapped his arm around her waist, muttering in her ear that he knew of a better place to continue to get to know one another. She simpered with pleasure as she pressed up against him, and he sighed at the contact that ached when it should've burned.

As he placed a handful of gald on the counter for the bartender, he heard voices he barely recognized saying words of praise in the back of his mind. He shook his head angrily to clear them, and led away the woman on his arm to complete the night and hopefully settle the ache he was feeling that the alcohol couldn't burn away.

"_Lloyd..."_

* * *

**Zelos' Mansion**

**Following Afternoon**

Regal hissed as the wet towel was draped across his back and over his still-irritated skin, and his teeth grit together as the damp cold combatted the hard warmth of the burns. He felt his wife's hand run gently through his hair in a soothing motion, and he closed his eyes tight as she whispered soft words of encouragement. The first-aid he'd received immediately after being injured had saved most of his skin, and as Raine had surmised correctly, also left him able to stand straight again but there was still a large amount of pain that had yet to be extinguished.

Lying on his stomach in the borrowed bed of the guest-room, Regal had to muse that it could've been much worse. Raine's hands were gentle as she peeled the towel back for a moment to check on it progress before lying it back down and sprinkling a little more water onto a drier patch for him. The wet and cold of the fabric began to soak up the head of his burns, and a soft sigh escaped him as the pain began to fade to a tolerable throb. Raine's gentle hand continued its slow motion of combing through his hair, and he tilted his head slightly into it with a weary contentment.

"I wish I could do more for you." Raine murmured with defeat, and she settled down into a better sitting position on the bed beside him. Her healing could regrow lost skin and replenish blood, but even the best of her craft couldn't erase pain entirely, or cover scars that wounds created. A good portion of his upper back had suffered a large scar left from the burn, and though she'd tried to banish it, there was no helping the mark. She noted grimly that Regal joined the rest of the team who bore scars from the journey they were on, leaving only three of them without a blemish.

"You are doing all you can. I cannot ask for more." Regal answered her gently, and he turned his head to the side to meet her saddened eyes. He reached out to take her folded hands within his own, and he squeezed tenderly. She sighed with exasperation but allowed his hand to cradle hers, and she leaned down to brush her forehead against the top of his hair. When she pulled away to check to see how the towel eased the look of his skin he grunted, "Can you keep it there for a little while longer? It goes a long way to easing the ache."

"I can't keep it on you for too long, but a few more minutes will be safe." Raine answered affirmatively, and she carefully poured the last little bit of water she had kept in a pail beside the bed onto the towel. Regal groaned aloud with pleasure as the cold returned with a vengeance and banished the last bit of pain from his back. He closed his eyes and relaxed entirely, gladdened that Raine didn't just give him a dose of first-aid and then let him be like another healer may have. She usually tried many different remedies to ease pain or discomfort along with use of her mana, and the treatments always went a long way to helping the healing process. "Do you feel ready to try stretching again, or would you rather stay in bed for a bit more?"

"Truthfully, I could remain here all day if I could." Regal responded with an embarrassed chuckle, and to his relief Raine laughed along with him and nodded in assent. His body was weak with pain, and the effort it had taken for him to ignore his wounds and return to Meltokio had left him exhausted both physically and mentally. He breathed in wearily as Raine's hand moved south to massage the back of his neck, and he muttered apologetically, "I'm afraid I will be no help in the coliseum... I doubt I will be in peak form by the end of the week."

"That's fine. We have capable fighters who will probably want to do it anyway. I can't blame you for wanting to rest a little longer, and they won't either." Raine told him firmly, and she leaned back against his side slightly as she continued to massage his stiff muscles loose. She rested her free hand on her knee before adding on, "Besides, with your wounds, I wouldn't allow you participate in the matches anyway. You need your rest, and combat isn't going to help."

"I suppose that with my nurse giving me such strict orders, I cannot feel too bad about lying down for the next little while." Regal noted with a cheeky smile, and Raine rolled her eyes with fond exasperation at his comment. Still, the suggestive remarks were better than a sour attitude, and he knew she was glad for it. He turned his head a little as he felt her fingers twining in his hair, and gazed upwards at her as he added in a more subdued voice, "I'm grateful for your care. However, are you feeling well? You garnered a few injuries of your own."

Raine winced at the reminder of the many bruises and cuts that marred her own back from the stint in the temple just two days ago. Most of her body still ached from the beating of fallen rocks, but she had learned to ignore such pain. Healing would be a waste of mana, and she knew her body would manage the pain as it should. She smoothed back her husband's hair as she answered honestly, "It's a bit of a hassle when I'd like to sleep, but I can manage." Her eyes twinkled playfully, and she leaned down to nip at his ear as she added on, "Mind you, if you'd give me one of your massages tonight, I'm sure I can cope."

Regal snorted at the turnabout, and carefully he propped himself on his elbow as his wife pulled away to stare down cheerfully at him. Her actions did well to make him forget about what was happening, and he knew that it was the same for her. "A massage it is, but it will need to wait for tonight. I'll need to rest beforehand to put the required effort in."

A hint of a flush came into Raine's face at the leer he raked over her body when he spoke, but her smile was pleased. She made to shoot back a similar comment when Sheena's voice rang out from the bottom floor and called out for her comrades.

"Oi! There's some trouble outside of Meltokio, and we've been asked to settle it! Anyone interested?"

"I think the Gods have it in for us." Raine sighed, and before Regal could say a word she leaned down to kiss him fully on the mouth. The touch was full of promise, and she pulled away before either of them could get carried away. She laughed softly at his disappointed grunt, and murmured, "Tonight, okay? For now, just sleep."

As she made to leave, he caught her hand and gave it a firm squeeze. His smile was gentle as he nodded, and then he released and allowed her to go. Raine shut the door quietly behind her as she left the room, and she leaned against the cold wood and took in a deep breath. Her body was buzzing, and she closed her eyes to give herself a moment to calm her senses. She could hear the others beginning to move towards the living room to see what Sheena was talking about, and with a grudging moan she trudged off to do the same.

The ninja was perched on the edge of the couch with a piece of parchment in hand and was showing it to an intrigued Presea and Colette. Genis was still stretching and trying to wake from his nap, and Zelos was nowhere to be seen. Raine took the stairs slowly to meet them, a bit puzzled by the hubbub. As she took the last few steps she heard Sheena explaining to the gathered trio as she passed around the sheet she had come inside with.

"There's some sort of monster on the trails that's been causing havoc with the caravans." Sheena watched as Presea took a look at the notice she had been handed, and her voice was calm if a bit curious herself as it was passed to Colette, "I'm not too sure what it is, but it's already took out three wagons in the past few weeks. The leader of the last troupe was trying to find a mercenary or a hunter to take care of it, but so far no one's been interested in doing it for a fair price. He flagged me down outside of the castle and begged me to help."

"And you just couldn't say no, huh?" Genis replied with a raised eyebrow and a sardonic smirk as he knew Sheena simply couldn't resist helping someone in need. He took the missive from Colette and glanced over at the rough scrawl. The request was a simple one, asking for a hunter to exterminate the monster on the trails for a reward. He raised an eyebrow at the sum listed on the bottom, and then looked up to Sheena as he asked, "That's a nice bit of Gald there... Why couldn't he get anyone to answer before?"

"With the monster population nearly disappeared, hunters and mercenaries are out of a trade." Raine spoke up with a bit of a frown, and she edged about to sit down on the second cranberry-coloured couch that wasn't occupied. She rested back against the plush cushions before continuing, "I bet those who did volunteer wanted more than double the reward that's being offered."

"Yeah, unfortunately." Sheena nodded but she was frowning as if she'd just swallowed something bitter. She'd been appalled to learn how often the man offering the job was accosted for more money to do the deed, but he was already in ruins. "The man who flagged me down was in the last caravan the monster tore up... He doesn't have the money to double the reward."

"You didn't take it, did you?" Colette asked with a worried frown, but the expression melted into a smile when she met Sheena's gaze. Genis groaned, but there was no real exasperation in the sound and even Raine gave a little chuckle at the ninja's charity. The dark-haired youth grinned sheepishly at Colette, who had a feeling that the negotiations that followed hadn't gone too well. "How did he react?"

"It took me an hour to convince him that we didn't need the Gald, but he refused to let me do it for free." Sheena shook her head with a fond roll of her eyes as she remembered arguing fiercely with the much older man. He proved that he was a merchant through and through with his ability to barter, and finally Sheena had been forced to stay her hand if just so she could go back to the mansion. She grinned lopsidedly at Raine and said, "I finally told him that we were here in Meltokio to rest and resupply, and he insisted that we take whatever we need from his caravan in exchange."

"Well, that's not that bad of a deal." Genis remarked with a laugh, and he glanced to Raine who was nodding in approval. He stretched out and returned to looking at the missive that had been laid on the table. "Any idea where the creature is? Are you planning on going after it today?"

"Well, I heard it was spotted close to the border earlier today... so I figured I may as well get going before it disappears again." Sheena answered with a bit of a shrug, and she glanced around at the others who were all staring at her. She leaned forward in her perch and questioned in return, "I had to promise the old guy that I wouldn't go by myself, so I figured maybe one of you would maybe want to come along. Anybody interested?"

"I... would like to, but... I need to go and find Zelos." Colette murmured with downcast eyes, and she fiddled with her entwined fingers in concern. She swallowed back her nervousness and tilted her chin up as she looked to a frowning Sheena, "I haven't seen him since yesterday, and I'm a bit worried. Seles and I are going to go into the city to find him soon."

"I need to stay and keep an eye on Regal, so I guess I'm out too." Raine shook her head with a sigh and felt a bit of disappointment that she couldn't venture out with Sheena. She guessed that for once she was looking forward to a battle that wouldn't entirely be one-sided, but she brushed away the feeling and looked to Genis and Presea instead.

Genis pursed his lips and traded a glance with Presea. He could tell the hunter was ready to go, and her eagerness made him willing. He nodded his head happily in assent and piped up, "I'll go. I need to get out and stretch my legs anyway, and it'll be a good chance to practise the new spell I'm working on."

"Myself as well. I would like to see what monsters are still roaming the trails." Presea added on with a nod of her own and she cast a glance to Genis as she added on inwardly that she wanted to remain at his side to make sure he didn't overdo anything.

"Alright, that makes three. That should be fine." Sheena laughed a little at her good fortune in partners, but she looked at Raine as she asked to make sure, "Is that okay with you, Raine?"

Raine blinked, surprised that Sheena was asking for her permission. She shook her head with fond exasperation as she reminded herself that for her stubbornness and reawakening confidence the ninja still regarded herself as a student. The professor nodded and answered the question with a little chuckle, "Yes, of course. Be careful, and come back soon, that's all I ask."

"Of course." Sheena nodded in reply, and she hopped off of the couch and to her feet in a swift movement. She glanced over at Presea and Genis who weren't ready for battle just yet, and said, "Alright, I'll be waiting at the entrance of the city. I'll flag down the guy who asked me for the mission and check over the details one more time. See you in ten minutes?"

"Ten minutes." Genis repeated firmly, and Sheena grinned at him before hurrying out of the mansion. He peered down at himself before letting out a sigh and pushing himself to his feet. The street-clothes he was currently wearing would serve him poorly in battle, as comfortable as they were. He could see Presea evaluating herself too, and he traded a grin with her as he remarked, "Too bad we gotta change to fight. It'd be nice to stay in casual clothing for once."

"That is true." Presea agreed as she ambled to her feet and followed him to the stairs where their rooms waited. Raine had already vanished up the staircase herself, and Colette had taken the hallway instead to find Seles to begin her search for Zelos. Presea paused on the bottom step, wondering where the Chosen could possibly have wandered off to without telling anyone. While that sort of behaviour had become natural to them during the first journey, he had seemed to grown out of it. The change was odd, and she understood why Colette was worried.

Genis halted in climbing the staircase, and he followed Presea's gaze to the hallway. He made to question her, concerned about the look in her eyes but she lowered her chin and began the climb again without comment. Genis followed her example, knowing that if she wanted to say something that she would. They parted at the fork in the hallway at the top of the staircase and moved to their own rooms to suit up for the battle ahead. Neither was sure about the strength of the monster, and while three of them likely would be more than enough to handle it, they weren't going to underestimate it.

By the time they returned back to the main floor, Colette was buttoning up her jacket as Seles slipped into her shoes at the doorway. She smiled halfheartedly at them as they approached the door, and she shook out the creases in her sleeves as Seles opened the door for all of them. They stepped out onto the porch, and Colette nodded seriously as she said, "Good luck, and be careful."

"Don't worry, it's probably not even that big of a monster. We'll be okay." Genis answered with a chuckle and an amused grin. Colette returned the gesture sheepishly, and he found a frown turning the corners of his lips at the look in her eyes. There seemed to be more than concern in her gaze, and he rested his hand on her wrist as he found himself saying, "I'm sure Zelos is just fine. You'll find him without a problem, I'm sure."

"Thanks Genis." Colette smiled a little and gave him a short wave before turning the opposite direction that he was to go down. Seles skipped down the steps in unison with the blond angel, and the two quickly vanished into the thin crowd that was heading into the streets of the city.

Genis watched her go, unsure of why his stomach knotted when she vanished from his sight. He swallowed down the dryness in his mouth as he turned towards the southern exit that Sheena was waiting for them at. He guessed that the unease on his face alerted Presea, as her eyebrows were furrowed as she glanced at him instead of staring at the street like she normally would've. She didn't need to speak before he answered the question he knew was on her lips, "I'm alright... I guess I'm just a bit concerned too. It's not like him to just up and vanish without saying anything. I mean, it's not like him _now_. If he'd done it two years ago, I wouldn't blink, but now...?"

"Something may have come up that he had to deal with. Why he wouldn't tell us, I'm not certain. However, I don't think he is in danger." Presea shook her head, and out of habit she reached over her shoulder to touch the worn leather grip on the handle of her axe. The familiar touch soothed her anxiety as it always did, and she noted that Genis was favouring the handle of his kendama in a similar fashion. "Colette will find him."

"One of these days, he's going to realize some things." Genis laughed and shook his head with exasperation at the thought of Colette finding the redhead. He knew exactly what would happen, and it amused him to imagine it. The Tethe'allan Chosen simply couldn't say 'no' to Colette, and though he knew that the blond had no idea, she really did have Zelos wrapped around her little finger. "I'm a bit surprised he hasn't made a move already, to be honest."

"A... move?" Presea repeated with raised eyebrows and a confused quirk to her mouth. Genis reacted like he'd been scalded at her questioning tone, and she filed it away as something she would need to ask Raine or Sheena, as the mage didn't seem as if he'd be able to explain it with his sudden stammering. He was a mess the entirety of the trip to the gates, and she smiled secretly as he tripped over his own two feet when he spotted Sheena loitering by the massive doorway.

"Good timing, the old man told me the monster was spotted just five minutes from here. We'll probably find it pretty quickly."

"Th-That's great news!" Genis exclaimed in an awkward squeak, and Sheena raised an eyebrow and regarded him as if he'd grown an extra head at the way his words came out. The silver-haired mage cursed himself for lapsing back into such easy embarrassment, but when he saw Presea smiling at him for it he knew it probably never was going to change. His shoulders slumped down, and he mumbled with defeat, "Let's get this over with."

Sheena shook her head but didn't comment as they made their way out of the gates and to the sloping plains that surrounded the city. She mused inwardly that a little while ago, her friend's actions would have made her laugh and probably launch into a good round of teasing, but now all she felt was longing. She wanted that sense of kinship back more than ever, but every time she began to miss it she found herself back in the Temple of Lightning with one arm twisted hard behind her back and Flamberge at her throat.

"_You can't beat me. Turn around and don't look back. Forget you ever saw me. I don't want to fight. I don't... want to hurt you."_

Shaking her head fiercely to keep the anger and pain the words brought back, Sheena forced herself to think of the task at hand. She didn't want to rest, it was why she had picked herself up so early in the day to go the castle. If she kept busy, kept her mind off of that encounter, she wouldn't need to feel the indecision. She could ignore it, until a time came when she was ready to face it again. A time when she was strong enough to admit that what she'd seen had shaken her faith in him.

Presea knelt down without warning, and Sheena and Genis stopped abruptly in surprise at her action. She paid neither of them any mind as she touched her hand to the grass and traced out the shape of a paw print she had spotted. The shape was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it as she murmured, "I know this shape... I've seen it before somewhere..."

"A wolf maybe?" Genis questioned with a tilt of his head and a frown as Sheena squatted down beside the hunter to examine the print too. The hunter and ninja were more adept than he at tracking prey, and so he kept a respectful distance as they frowned at the ground where he saw nothing. "There are a lot of different types."

"It's lupine, but not a wolf... I–" Presea stopped short as every instinct inside of her small body roared to life, and she was on her feet and holding her axe within seconds. Sheena shot to her feet as well instantly, and Genis reached for his kendama as a wailing howl broke from the south, not ten feet from where they stood.

Moments later a second howl answered the first, but this time from the east. A third joined in, this one much closer to them but from the west. On unspoken agreement, the three moved to form a triangle, pressing their backs against each other's to cover for any blind spots while facing the threat they couldn't see. Sheena's eyes narrowed as she realized that the monster hadn't been alone, and she growled under her breath, "A pack... That's why they couldn't identify it properly, it was never the same one. Damn."

"They've surrounded us." Presea was perfectly calm as she levelled her axe in front of her, and her eyes caught sight of movement just up the hill to the west. She knew well from hunting that the pack had hemmed them in, and was using the sloping terrain to their advantage. The hills provided good cover, and would give them added momentum in their first rush. Her voice remained steady as she felt Sheena tense as if she'd seen movement too, "There can't be more than three of them... They will attack at once, in a three-pronged formation. Their first wave will be the strongest."

"Get ready, then." Sheena muttered grimly, and she planted her feet firmly into the ground as she gazed up the hill that surrounded them. She cursed that they had walked so stupidly into the valley, but there was no use mourning their bad fortune. In her hand she weighed her first card carefully, and she could hear Genis whispering elven words as a gentle glow surrounded his kendama and the hands that balanced the weapon.

Another howl came, this one closer than the last. Sheena felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end at the piercing sound, and her eyes narrowed as her entire body coiled to spring. From the crest of the hill they appeared, just as Presea had guessed. Two beasts no bigger than a regular wolf stood in the grass, their mud-stained fur bristling as they growled and showed their fangs. Standing between them however was a creature triple their size, and it snarled more viciously than they as it sank down into a crouch and revealed its sharp teeth to those it hunted.

Genis' grip on his kendama went slack, and his eyes widened in horror as he recognized the creamy white fur that was stained by dirt and grime. Though the beast was gaunt now, and his fur lacked its usual lustre... There was no mistaking the large ears and plumed tail. He heard Presea gasp aloud, and Sheena dropped the card she'd been holding as she too understood what had made him pause. His voice cracked as he stared into the eyes of the animal who had been his friend for as long as he could remember from his time in Iselia, but there was no recognition in the coal black gaze that was returned to him.

The creature that had once ran as fast as his long legs would carry him from monsters stood flanked by two snarling wolves, and his voice was added to the din in a commanding growl. Blood, grime and mud coated his fur and matted it down, and when he raised his hackles his fangs glistened in the sunlight. There was nothing tame or gentle about the protozoan they had all come to view as another member of their team, and even as they whispered his name he didn't respond, as if they weren't talking about him at all.

"Noishe...?"

**AN:**

**Dun-dun... Dun-dun... Dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun -hit with a frying pan- Sorry... Believe it or not, I had the Jaws theme playing in my head the entire time I wrote this scene out. It seemed oddly fitting, even if weird. Anyway, I've been dying to address the whole; "Where is my favourite dog-slash-protozoan already!" thing but I had to work it in properly. My original idea for him didn't fit with where the story was going, and so I had to cut it out... It was a very disappointing cut for me, but I promised myself I'd write him in eventually. Actually, now that I look back on this, (TWENTY chapters already!), there was a lot that didn't end up making the final draft... I'm a bit sad to see some of those ideas get flushed, but... This story took on a life of its own that I didn't anticipate, so I've been going with it for the most part. While I did always have the bare bones in place since before starting the story, a lot of the flesh simply grew by itself. I'm not complaining, mind you, but I do kinda wish some of my original ideas made it in... Hmm, maybe when I finish I'll upload a second story-companion thingy and include all of the scenes I wanted to put in but didn't feel fit...**

**Anyway, to celebrate twenty chapters, (Seriously. TWENTY-FREAKIN-CHAPTERS.) I'm gonna give you a nice big hint about the next chapter. Someone is going to finally get some backstory! Also, just because it's kinda fun, I've decided when I hit the 200 page mark, (which is surprisingly only 25 pages away now), I'll be writing out another list of titles for everybody.**

**It's been a great twenty chapters, and I thank everybody sincerely for reading this far. I hope you guys stick with me for the next twenty, or however many it will take for me to get this blasted piece out of my system. I'd never have made it here without you guys!**

**But, lastly... Another warning, just to hammer the point I've been making home... Not a lot of... clean stuff will be showing up very early in the next chapter, so I want to let you know again... There is a reason why this story is rated M. Be prepared for adult content, violence, and the like. I'll make sure to post a warning at the beginning of every chapter that will have more darker, or suggestive tones before it, as a secondary and last warning to my readers. Thanks for your patience.**

**Mood: Ecstatic**

**Listening To: "Heaven's Dead" - Audioslave**

**~ Sky**


	22. Hateful Revelation

**Northern Fortress**

**Midday**

Down a winding hallway soldiers parted on silent command as the former leader of their fortress walked with a deadly gait through their numbers. There was no sense of victory or snide glee to them as she passed the Desians, only a tremor of terror whenever her eyes drifted from their goal to whoever had been too slow to get out of her way quickly enough. There was no emotion in her angled face, only a ferocious coldness that left anyone who saw her hastily trying to escape her presence. It didn't matter that the fortress had been taken in Auin's name, or that she had technically lost her claim on the territory, because for better or worse, the men and women of the army all feared her.

Her cloak billowed out behind her lithe body like a shadow, daring anyone to come into contact with the midnight fabric. Her boots clicked in a steady rhythm, taking her closer and closer to the chambers were she had once sat as she directed the forces under her command. Every soldier who had seen her had quickly ducked into another hall, or lowered their eyes in submission. A few others had halted mid-step, while a rare handful had even saluted as if in hope of gaining her favour instead of earning her ire.

The ornate doors that shielded her office were shut as she approached, and guarded by two well-armed men who had their lances crossed in a defiant gesture as they saw her coming. She did not stop, and the two traded a startled glance before a single dagger thudded into the wood dead centre between them. The blade shuddered with the force of her throw, and they turned as one to her to see another dagger being held loosely between her index and middle finger. Her golden eyes were ice as she spoke in a deceptively calm voice, "I have business to attend to inside. I assume you aren't fool enough to impede me?"

The man on the left felt all the blood drain from his face as his gaze went to the gold-hilted blade that she spun like a juggler between her fingers. He had seen her work death with many weapons of the same likeness, and he had no desire to be another of her many victims. He immediately began to lower his lance, only for his partner to strike him viciously with the blunt end of his weapon instead.

The other growled in a low voice as he shoved up his visor with a fisted hand, and he swung his lance around to point it foolishly at the still Tasogare a few feet away, "Don't be a fool! She has no power–"

Whatever words he meant to add came out in a low gurgle, and blood dribbled down his slackened lips. His lance fell uselessly from his hand, and he reached up robotically to feel the blade that had been thrown almost casually into his throat. He raised his eyes, horrified to see Tasogare lowering the hand she had used to end his life, and his knees knocked together before failing him entirely. He crumpled into a heap, gasping for breath for a long moment before he moved no more.

The other hastily drew away from the corpse at his feet and the door, but his pale face proved he wasn't sure which angel scared him more; the one inside the room or the one outside. Still, he dropped his weapon and ran as fast as his feet would carry him, not content to suffer the same fate his foolish companion had.

Tasogare paid no mind to him, or the body blocking the doorway. She kicked it aside without glancing down at it, leaving the blade in his throat as a sign to any who would pass by that way. Her hand tugged once on the golden hoop that hung proudly on the ancient wood, and the door opened with a low, almost silent hiss.

However what was happening inside the room was not silent, and Tasogare's lips curled in distaste at the spectacle. Leaned over the desk, still clad in uniform was a woman with her hands splayed out as she gripped the corners to steady herself. With a hand on the small of her back and the other gripping at her hair was Auin, and his lips were curled into a smirk as he slammed his hips against hers in an abusive display of power. Tears marred her already bruised cheeks, and she was crying out as he held her firm in position and took his pleasure from her obvious pain.

When the door slid open though he paused, but his fingers curled into claws and drew blood from the woman's unprotected scalp. His olive eyes narrowed in displeasure when he saw Tasogare standing at the entry, and in a rough movement he drew away and flung the woman from the desk and to the floor.

She collapsed there with a broken sob, trying in vain to pull her rumpled clothing over her bloody body. Her legs trembled too badly to let her stand, but even so she used her broken hands to try and pull herself away from the man who'd violated her so. She scrambled across the carpet, avoiding the amused gaze of Auin and the impassive one of Tasogare. When she reached the door however, Auin called out to her in a laughing voice, "I'll see you again after I chat with the other general. You best not think of trying to hide on me."

A dismayed sob left her bitten lips, but she somehow forced herself to nod as tears sprung anew over her cheeks. She forced herself to her feet, shaken and wobbly, but managed to get herself from the room. Her sobs drifted into silence as she fled down the hall, and the door she had used to steady herself closed with a groan behind her.

Auin shook his head with exasperation as he moved out from behind the desk, one hand reaching down to fasten his pants back up around his waist while the other traced the circumference of the pool of blood his victim had left behind. His eyes however were glued to Tasogare's face, and though his voice was smooth, almost friendly, there was a dark glint in his gaze when he chided, "Now Tasogare, don't you know it's impolite to walk in without knocking? I was trying to enjoy my lunch."

The sound of metal hissing through the air followed by the slicing of flesh punctuated his words with deadly speed. The dagger she favoured shook in the wood it was buried in just behind the male's head, gleaming with blood that it had drawn. Auin raised the hand from his belt to touch the new gash she had added to his scarred cheek, and his smirk changed to an amused sneer. He licked the blood from his fingers, and then finished in a much more silken voice, "Now you really are just being rude, aren't you? Killing my men indiscriminately, a job I enjoy by the way, and interrupting my meals...? If I didn't know better, I'd say you have it in for me."

Tasogare didn't answer his challenge, rather she rested her hand threateningly on the handle of her blade and allowed the crimson pommel resting between her fingers to warm her skin. Her eyes were narrowed, and her entire body was tense as she stood her ground at the closed doors. The fury in her gaze couldn't be disguised, nor could her disgust with him as her other hand sank into the pockets of her cloak to handle the fourth of the five other knives she kept there.

"Since you seem to have gone mute, I'm going to keep talking." Auin tilted his head to the side and stepped out from behind the desk entirely and began to saunter towards her. She didn't react to his movement, and he kept it up as his voice grew darker and more threatening with every word and step, "You obviously aren't getting my messages, and I'm a bit tired of trying to speak your language. So, I'll just say it nice and clear for you to understand, my dear. This place is mine, and you're out of a job."

He reached for her, as if to knock her hand away but she was the mist and couldn't be touched as she turned slightly to the side to evade his hand. Instead she slammed her elbow down hard onto his forearm, and with a snap the bone collapsed under the sudden attack. Auin had no time to recover, as she launched herself at him and brought him crashing against the far wall with her momentum.

Auin though had anticipated her lightning speed, and with his good arm he seized the hand that held the dagger she had nearly drove into his heart. Her other hand had formed into a fist though, and she sank it hard into his stomach and knocked the wind from his lungs with the well-placed strike. He was stronger than she though, and with a quick squeeze the bones in her wrist shattered under his fingers.

The instinct to pull away was one she couldn't control, and Auin took advantage of her body's knee-jerk reaction by moving forward with her. His leg raised up in a fluid motion, and the bone of his knee was driven with impressive force straight into her abdomen. Tasogare gasped in agony as the attack dislodged her Key Crest, and the power of her Crystal almost instantly vanished at the displacement.

She sank to her knees, gripping at her stomach with one hand as Auin followed her down and grabbed her roughly by the hair to jerk her head back and leave her throat unprotected. In his right was the dagger she had nearly stabbed him with, and he cut into the tender skin of her neck with it in a threatening motion to make her stop. However a sharp prick of pain in his inner thigh let him know that she hadn't been as unprepared as he'd believed, and he looked down to see her holding her last knife right up against his manhood in a similar threat.

They froze like that, one on her knees and the other on his feet with their weapons held in a perfect position to cause serious damage with a flick of a wrist. Blood quietly fell to the carpet like rain, and their eyes locked as they glared hatefully at the other. Tasogare's lips were red and the jostled Key Crest in her stomach was forming a rose in her shirt but she paid no mind to her own hurts. The wounds were minor, and she was more focussed on keeping Auin from slitting her throat by holding her knife against his groin.

The terse silence carried on for a handful of minutes, and it was broken when Auin began to chortle quietly at the position they had put themselves in. His fingers curled brutally around her hair but he didn't tug as she applied more pressure to her knife in response. He stared down into her golden eyes which were alive with anger and bloodlust, and he licked his lips appreciatively as he muttered, "I may need to apologize for being such an ass, earlier... You've definitely given me a better meal to consider than the one you scared off. It'd be a pity though to have to break your neck before the fun even begins."

Tasogare's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she ground her teeth together at the impasse she had allowed herself to be put in. Her body was trembling with the force she was exerting to stop her arm from driving the dagger in her hand home, consequences be damned for her actions. Her mind though wouldn't allow it, reminding her that she had come too far to lose everything in a moment of anger. That she had already reacted far too violently.

Auin's hand loosened its grip, and to her disgust, he instead ran his finger almost gently down a streak of green that coloured her hair. His knife though remained levelled at her neck, keeping her still as he stroked the stripe from scalp to end. He tilted his head again, admiring the fury in her gaze. Her fire hidden in ice was one of her best qualities, and his body stirred with hunger as he imagined what it'd be like to taste the forbidden.

The stirring of madness and lust in his eyes froze Tasogare's blood as it always did, and when he released her she was on her feet and across the room in an instant. Still, his gaze was like a touch all by itself, making her want to douse herself in hot water until her skin was burned clean of it. None of that though made it to her face, and she quietly sheathed her dagger inside her cloak before resting her hand carefully on her hip.

Auin absently twirled the blade in his fingers, looking uncertain on whether to return it to her. After a long moment, he slid it into his belt with a smirk and spoke in that same genteel tone, "I'm grateful for the gift. Still... bribery won't get me out of here. As I said... I intend to keep this fortress. It's grown on me, you see. You also have an impressive assortment of meat to choose from, and I always had to sample everything."

Tasogare fought to keep her hackles from rising, but she knew it was no use jumping to his bait. She could already imagine how many of her female soldiers had been put into a similar position to the one she had just interrupted. She was only grateful that she'd emptied the humans bound for the ranch before she had left earlier. She answered him in a flat voice, as if discussing the weather, "Unfortunately, I've no use for _you_ here. If I must, I will lay waste to every soldier that swears allegiance to you. As much fun as it must be to kill your own men at whatever time pleases you... I'm certain you wouldn't want no soldiers at all."

"I'd like to see you go on a rampage." Auin chuckled quietly, and he closed his eyes as if trying to imagine it. She was too cold and composed for it though, and his mind refused to allow him to daydream it since it was so out of character. He let out a long-suffering sigh and shook his head, but the steely glint in his eyes proved he wasn't about to back away as he had many a time before. "Even if I do like cleaning out my ranks every once and awhile... I need my men where they are. You'll need to find another way to get me out of here. Since you can't best me in hand to hand, and I've beaten you at your own game on top of that... You look like you've run out of options."

At that, Tasogare laughed at his arrogance. If she hadn't been watching him for nearly ten centuries, she would've had trouble believing that he sincerely thought he had beat her with a such a simple move. This time she tilted her head a little and spread out her hands as she questioned with a chuckle, "Really? I think not. Your men are cowards. If it comes to choosing allegiances... you already know who they would abandon."

Auin reacted just as she knew he would, and she sidestepped to the left to avoid the punch he tried to land on her. He went after her again with a snarl, and she taunted as she continued to dance in a simple circle, using his anger to her benefit, "Do you think they fear you enough to follow your orders to the letter? If so, how do you explain my entering so easily? Men and women of _your_ army saluted me and fled at my presence. You call that obedience?"

She knew exactly where to dig the barbs in, and Auin was furious with her open taunting. His arrogance left him easy to provoke, and though she had taken care in the past to play to his vanity... She was as angry as he was, but she now had her emotions on a tight leash, while he lashed out like a child. She continued to move around in a circle, avoiding the wild punches and kicks he was throwing with abandon, and her words were sharp as she demanded now, "Do you think yourself the master's favourite, Auin? Are you still hoping he wants your body to deliver his coup de grace? Or perhaps you consider yourself his better now? Your men fear you, yes, but they also know exactly who to fear _more_."

"Don't you dare mock me you snivelling coward!" Auin roared, and he lunged for her throat, forgetting the blade that was still strapped to his back. Tasogare however did not, and she whirled around him, grabbed the hilt of the great broadsword and kicked him forward as she loosed it from its handle. He went sprawling towards the doors, and as he turned she hefted the blade with both hands and pointed the tip at his throat. He froze, panting and spitting as she locked gazes with him. He growled as he tried to catch his breath and recover from the bruising his pride had taken, "I can't wait for the day when I have you permanently on your knees, bitch. Bluster and strut all you want... but I know that I'll have you eventually. You're weak. You always were weak. You couldn't serve your purpose as Martel's vassal, and you couldn't even keep your body intact from the ritual. There's no way some failure like you will _ever_ be able to beat me!"

Tasogare laughed coldly at the words he used to try and injure her pride. It was a useless venture, as she had long ago discarded what he loved so zealously. She had no pride as a Desian, and even less as an angel. She kept the blade trained on his jugular, making sure he wouldn't move unless he wanted to have his throat slashed by his own sword. She played though to his vanity, pretending to have the arrogance he believed she had, "You are as incompetent at insults as you are at keeping your troops together. What use will digging up the past serve you? Do you forget that instead of _you_, Yggdrasil chose _me_ to go through the trial? It was _my_ body that they intended to use for the greater purpose, while you had to sit back and watch as you have done for the past nine hundred years. You are muscle, and that is all you have ever been. Stupid, superfluous muscle. Expendable, obedient, and useless to the bigger picture. You forget your place."

This time, her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. His eyes took on a cold tinge, a deadly tinge of intelligence that she rarely saw in him. He placed his hands around his blade, gouging himself on the sharpened edges as he held on firmly and whispered with sick earnest, "No, little sister. I remember my place very well. After all, I could kill who held me back, while you cried and whimpered instead."

If she had ever been stone in face before, it was merely a play compared to her expression now. Tasogare became a statue, and her eyes were dead as he whispered words that set off the true lust for his blood that she had nursed for well over nine long centuries. Memories she had buried for her own sense of self-preservation were straining to reawaken, but she clamped down the lid on them with a silent roar of denial. It wasn't the time. It wasn't the place.

"The past is dead. You will find the child who 'cried and whimpered' is long dead as well." Tasogare said quietly as she relinquished her grip on his blade and let him deepen his self-inflicted wounds. She took three steps forward, and met his laughing mad gaze with a fixed one of her own. Her voice held no promise, no threat, but a perfect clarity of one speaking of a fact that was already well-known. "I will slaughter you and dance on your grave when this is all said and done, _brother_."

* * *

**North of Meltokio**

**Midday**

The prediction that had been made of the battle's beginning had been a correct one, and the three beasts ran at them from different angles. Sheena cursed quietly as she dove to the left to avoid the first wolf's rush, and she heard Presea doing a similar feint while Genis began to chant hastily under his breath. The mage's hands glowed for a split instant before wellspring of water erupted from the ground underneath the second wolf who hadn't yet made it to them.

The creature let out a shriek as its body was blasted into the air, and Sheena carefully watched the arc it made before lobbing one of her cards directly at it. The weapon buried itself into its unprotected stomach, eliciting a whimper of its airborne victim as it vanished inside of the wolf. The fountain of water vanished as quickly as it had come, bringing the animal crashing back to earth in an unforgiving heap of broken limbs that it would never rise from.

Presea was a maelstrom of metal as she traded blows with the first wolf on Sheena's right side. She danced away from the long jaws and used the flat side of her axe to keep it from advancing on Genis who she knew was readying another spell. It circled around her with a vicious growl, making tiny rushes that she skilfully avoided and returned. She could hear Sheena cursing as Noishe ran for her, but the axeman forced herself to focus only on the battle in front of her.

As if impatient, the wolf leapt for her throat, snarling as its ruby-red eyes gleamed with hunger. Presea fell to her knees automatically and swung hard as she did so in an upwards arc. The top edge of her axe sank into its chest like a hot knife through butter, causing a spray of blood to decorate the tiny hunter's front. She hissed in disgust and rose to her feet, easily lifting the weight of the stricken wolf with her axe. It whined pitifully at the pain of her weapon buried in it, and with hard eyes, Presea flipped it onto its side and flicked her axe out of its chest and across its throat.

She was just turning to see how Sheena and Genis were faring to watch Noishe launch himself with every bit of strength and speed she knew the protozoan possessed. A gasp escaped her lips as she saw Sheena go down underneath the bulk of the ancient beast, and a cry of pain followed as Noishe ducked his head down and latched his powerful jaws around the arm Sheena had raised to defend herself.

Genis raised his kendama automatically to prepare a spell, but no words crossed his lips. He was frozen where he stood, trying to process what he was seeing and unable to truly believe that the protozoan who turned tail and ran whenever a monster came close by was viciously laying Sheena's arm down to the bone. He knew Presea was hesitating too, and with gritted teeth he tried to summon his courage and logic to blast his best friend's companion off of his comrade.

"No!"

Presea looked as if she had been slapped at the denial that Sheena cried as she spotted Genis readying himself to attack. She had just been steeling herself to join the mage in trying to dislodge Noishe's grip, but from underneath the furry chest of the protozoan Sheena was scowling resolutely at them. Bloody ribbons streamed from the gouges Noishe's teeth had ripped into her skin, and the ninja was sporting a cut lip but she had her other hand gently pressing against the side of his neck not to push him away, but to hold him as he was.

Genis realized what Sheena planned to do before she had to say anything, and with a low curse he relaxed his stiffened posture and slowly, grudgingly, placed his kendama back in his belt. He understood why Sheena refused to try and escape, and though he hated her reasoning, he couldn't fault her for it. He traded a terse glance with Presea, and after a moment she too put her axe away and retreated a few steps backwards.

Sheena closed her eyes tightly as Noishe snarled from between his grip on her forearm. The vibrations of the noise sent his fangs sinking even deeper into her unprotected skin, but she held back from lashing out to try and escape his hold. Her refusal to move confused and angered him, and she was careful to lay perfectly immobile as he adjusted himself on top of her with his teeth clamped down hard around his prize.

She could hear Genis faintly muttering to Presea about being careful to move at a moment's notice if Noishe tried to attack her, but she forced her mind to focus instead of the weight of the protozoan knelt on top of her chest. He was supporting his weight with his hind legs so not to crush her, but his eyes were wild and hungry as her blood washed into his mouth and whetted the hunger that had made him so terribly thin.

The ninja had thought her heart was already broken, but the state of the protozoan obliterated the last shards that had somehow managed to remain inside of her chest. Even so close to her there was no recognition in the beast's gaze, no trace of the timid but friendly creature that she had learned to love so dearly. She twined her fingers carefully into the coarse fur of his chest, and whispered soothingly despite the pain, "You've been looking for him too, haven't you...? When he didn't come back...when we didn't come back to Iselia for you... You left to try and find him, didn't you?"

Genis' eyes narrowed as he listened to Sheena quietly murmur to the snarling Noishe who didn't seem to understand her. He had thought that the protozoan had been returned to Iselia to live with Dirk once the travel had become too harsh for him, but Sheena's words made sense. Noishe, for better or worse, had always watched over Lloyd despite his cowardice towards monsters. When Kratos had left them, Noishe had become almost inseparable from the boy. He could understand how Lloyd's disappearance would trigger the him to leave Iselia in pursuit of his charge, even if it meant facing the dangers of the wild. He glanced to Presea, who was staring at the two with an unfathomable look haunting her gaze, and he cringed with sympathetic pain.

"You must have been looking for so long... trying to find him..." Sheena felt her heart catch in her throat as the words she spoke rang out painfully for her as well as him. She swallowed back the knot even though the tears burned in her eyes as she stared up into the confused gaze of the angered Noishe. She could see him, wandering alone and hungry, following a long-cold trail in desperation to see the youth he strove to protect only as he could. She could hear him howling plaintively in the night, broken and tired but determined to continue on, because he had to. Because there was no other choice. "I miss Lloyd too."

Noishe's growls faded into silence, and his grip on Sheena's arm lessened just a fraction at the swordsman's name. He pulled back a little, confusion evident in his intelligent gaze as Sheena's fingers combed lovingly through his fur. When she continued to speak to him in that same gentle tone, he pulled back even further but didn't relinquish his hold on her. She sat up with him though, wrapping her good arm around his broad neck as she pushed her cheek against his muzzle and whispered, "I love him too, Noishe. I want to find him just like you. I have to find him again. We can do it together, can't we...? Come on Noishe... It's me. You know I love him. You know I love you. Please... Help me."

Presea sensed the hesitancy in the protozoan as the words Sheena spoke began to worm their way through the wildness that had toughened his gentle heart. She moved slowly back to his side, with Genis flanking her just as carefully so not to startle him. She added her voice to Sheena's, knowing that a little more time, a few more careful pushes would help him regain what he'd lost. "Noishe... Come on, boy... You don't want to hurt Sheena. We can find Lloyd together."

"They're right, Noishe. You did it once before, you can do it again." Genis murmured slowly, and his throat became tight as he remembered the fierce loyalty that had made the protozoan brave the desert alone to track down the team to bring them to Lloyd's rescue. "It's okay now. No one will hurt you again. It's all gonna be okay now."

Noishe's jaws slackened, and Sheena hissed reflexively as she slid her arm from out between his teeth. She cradled the bloody limb to her chest, but her eyes were fixed on the softly whimpering protozoan who she knew was beginning to remember. She hugged herself close against him, keeping her voice steady and soothing as she crooned his name repeatedly, "Noishe... Noishe..."

"That's a good boy..." Genis sighed with relief as Noishe flopped himself down on his belly and whined as Sheena lay against him and held him close. He pressed up against the shivering animal's belly, with Presea carefully seating herself at his hip and laying her hand on his flank. He raised his eyes from the whimpering beast to Sheena, and he was careful to keep his voice gentle for Noishe's sake, "What are we going to do with him? He can't go into Meltokio looking like this. The hunters will be on him in seconds."

"I don't know, Genis." Sheena's voice was broken, and she sounded hoarse as if she was trying to keep herself from crying. She didn't move from where she'd stretched out, pressed as close as she could against Noishe's back with one arm thrown protectively about him. He was still whining, cuddling up against Sheena's chest for comfort like a puppy and she ran her fingers repeatedly through his fur to soothe him. "I don't... know."

**AN:**

**... Sigh. I originally intended for the beginning of the next chapter to be the closing for this one... but I didn't like it. The flow was badly disrupted when I tried to fit it in, so I eventually just said "fuck it" and switched it off. Of course, that makes this chapter painfully shorter than it should've been... but I'll make it up to you with a nice long author's note. 8D**

**It took me twenty-one chapters to finally get Tasogare and Auin's relationship out... I actually had planned on making that particular bombshell known at the prologue, as it would've been a very Auin-esque taunt to make at her then... but I liked keeping it a secret for reasons I believe make me a sadist. However, I've noted that the Tasogare I originally wrote at the prologue... isn't really the same one I'm writing now. She was much more open in her defiance and mockery of him when she was first written... but strangely, I like her more now than I used to. Writing morally ambiguous characters is really fun...**

**Auin though? Not fun to write. At all. I seriously hate him. Makes me a bit terrified of my own psyche to know I can create such a bastard and write him well enough to be hated by my readers. And I know you guys hate him, lol, or at least some of you do. Mind, I know some of you hate Tasogare just as much, and that's fine by me. XD She had to grow on me, for a long time, before I could admit to enjoying writing her.**

**Noishe, however... Him I love writing. I was very depressed to not have him in ANW for so long, (a lot like Kuchinawa, actually!) so to finally get him in the story was very fun, if sad because of how I went about it... -sniff- I'll be nicer to you, Noishe, I promise! **

**Also, random question... Anybody played the GBA game Riviera: The Promised Land? I was browsing for new games to emulate, and it seemed a bit interesting... When I found out Atlus had a say in it, I went "SOLD!" and grabbed it. I worship the ground all Atlus employees walk on, as sadistic and evil as they are. The trope Nintendo Hard on TvTropes seriously should be renamed to Atlus Hard. A employee on the forums once said; "We get off on your pain." and it's TRUE. No owner of a gaming company boasts loads of ridiculously difficult games like Atlus... I digress.**

**So, Riviera. I'm playing it now... and I'm a bit... uncertain. Normally I fall hard for games either very quickly, or not at all, but my opinion on Riviera is stillborn. The gameplay is a bit wacky for my taste, but I got used to it quickly... and the story is fun... but I admit to totally being clueless to the whole dating-sim-esque thing they've got going on. I need to look up a guide for it to play it better, methinks... and as for the girl I want to set Ein up with...? I think for the first time as a shipper, I don't know who. I like Rose, (Cat? Sarcastic? Tough but kind? Gimme!) but I don't believe it's an option, so when I look at the other four... I get a bit amused. XD I **_**adore **_**Serene as a character, and she's a damn tank on the battlefield to boot so it's fun to love her. (Bonus points for tomboy. 8D) Lina reminds me of my little sister, and I just want to pick her up and give her a huge hug and some candy... and figure out how the bloody fuck she wields a bow that's like... twice her loli size. Fia is hilarious in her cute and shyly jealous ways, and it helps that she's a healer. I laughed for hours after the clover-scene, and that look she gave Lina when love was mentioned. Cierra is downright huggable with her ditzyness, and I love making her shoot at enemies because of her clumsy animation. What I never get bored of though is her unimpressed stare when I make Ein do something perverted. Actually, I love Fia's expression too when I do that. I may be a sadist after all.**

**In closing, I left a sour chapter with a hopefully funnier dessert in my author's note... and that made for a weird taste to end it on. Regardless, I'm going to catch a nap, and head out Monday to class. I'll be back next week with another update!**

**Mood: Sleepy**

**Listening To: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd**

**~ Sky **


	23. Unspoken Bonds

**Meltokio**

**Sancta Cassius Inn**

**Midday**

Zelos woke up to a pounding in his skull that mirrored his usual soreness after a hard round of training with an unrepentant President Bryant. For a moment he lay prone in the bed, his eyes tightly closed, as he tried to sort out the reason behind the migraine and the odd soreness in his limbs. As far as he could remember, which was strangely not too much, he had been arriving home just yesterday. Zelos was just pulling himself up, intent on discovering the reasoning behind what was wrong with him when a soft feminine murmur from his immediate left stopped him.

His body turned to ice as a wave of horror clenched his gut into a firm knot, and against his better judgement, Zelos turned his head to see what he knew was already there. A woman lay curled up against his side, fast asleep and unaware of the dance of fright and disgust that was currently raging in his body. Thankfully the sheets covered her naked form, and Zelos hastily moved his gaze to the opposite end of the room.

Even as he did it, a part of him wondered why he was so perturbed by what he'd woken up to. It was not a first time for him to wake up in a hotel room that he didn't remember renting next to a woman he couldn't name. Rather, it'd happened so often that he had become rather numb to the entire experience. They were women he would never see again, and sex was nothing but a temporary reprieve from his buried emotions. They always left in the following morning, and he'd be free to go about his merry way without ever looking back at them.

Yet, he was not the same man he had been two years ago. Zelos clumsily pushed himself from the bed, trying to take care not to wake the slumbering brunette he only faintly recalled taking to the inn the previous night. His mouth was dry, and the headache he now was certain was from the alcohol he had drowned himself in at the bar was becoming almost too painful to bear. His stomach was flipping too, reminding the Chosen bitterly that on top of his two year celibacy, he hadn't drank in almost as long and from what he was feeling... His body was rebelling the sudden return to his old ways as much as his heart was.

Against his will, Zelos found himself remembering the first morning he had woken next to a stranger a lifetime ago. He recalled the pounding headache and sickness in the heart that stemmed from guilt and a twisted feeling of being used. The sight of the rumpled sheets and discarded clothing and bottles that had somehow led to the loss of his innocence and the beginning of what he'd thought was the end. It was the first time he really understood what being a "Chosen" meant. The first time he understood how others saw him now. To them he was not a person, not a human... but just an embodiment of power and mystique. A thing. A toy.

In the midst of the self-loathing that his impetuous one-night stand left him with though... He'd felt a strange sense of satisfaction. It was true, the woman he'd brought to his bed didn't care at all for what lay beneath the title... but he didn't need her feelings of misplaced attraction. For a few moments he'd forgotten his loneliness, forgotten the pain that he still carried about and managed to find a bit of pleasure. It seemed a worthwhile exchange, and that was enough for him.

The memory was bitter to him, and Zelos shook his head angrily to cast it and the depraved logic away. He snatched up his clothes and roughly began to put them on, hissing inwardly in disgust at himself. He'd sworn off women and liquor, sworn off his old ways for a new beginning. The others had seen him well through it, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that when they looked at him, they saw beneath his title. They saw the human being he really was, and didn't care about his faults.

"And here I am proving all of them wrong..." Zelos grunted under his breath as he shoved his arm through the sleeve of his shirt and began to hastily buckle it up. He refused to look back at the bed, not caring if anything would be left behind if he did so. The sooner he left behind the room and everything inside of it the sooner he could try and forget.

His mind though was too traitorous for its own good, and reminded him cruelly of why he'd left his mansion and sought out his old ways. Zelos paused in pulling on his boots as he was transported back to Colette's room, standing over her as a battle of logic and lust kept his hand from touching her sleeping form. His jaw hurt from gritting his teeth together at the memory, but most importantly the name she had mumbled in the midst of a pleasant dream.

"Lloyd..."

He parroted her call with a sudden feeling of weariness, and his legs buckled and sent him collapsing into the nearby chair he'd been holding onto for balance. It was as if someone had just cast an ice spell inside of his chest, and he struggled for a breath against the emotions that sprang back into the forefront now that there was no alcohol to bury them.

There was a feeling of defeat within him, and sadness. Then there was anger, and worse, hatred for the adust-haired teen who had taken his place in the dreams of the blond he so desperately wanted to fill. A low and bitter chuckle escaped the redhead as he rested his face in one hand, and he gave name to the singular driving force behind everything that had happened to him in the past few hours. "I'm jealous... Heh... Go figure... I've got to be the biggest asshole in Aselia..."

Feeling dead inside, Zelos finished dressing at a slower pace than before. He could only imagine the disappointed stares and words he'd receive when his comrades realized where he'd vanished off to yesterday, but he didn't really care about what the majority would say or do. His mind was focussed on the blond he'd betrayed, and the pain was a lance to the heart that somehow had yet to wither and die.

He was just checking himself over to see if he'd forgotten anything when a light knock sounded at the door. Zelos felt a chill go over him, warning him not to open it and face whoever was outside. He obeyed the instinct, and instead of opening it he called out in as low a voice as possible so not to wake the woman in the bed, "Yeah? What's up?"

"Oh! Zelos, is that you? I-I'm sorry, I was looking for you!"

All the wind in his lungs escaped him in a muffled expletive, and Zelos grimaced in horror as he looked around the room impulsively for an escape route. He couldn't believe his lack of luck, but at the same time he felt himself accepting the fate he'd chosen for himself. He was damned regardless of what he decided to do, and deep within he felt himself wanted to cry. Was it really worth living anymore after every stupid thing he managed to make himself do?

Swallowing back the stone in his throat, Zelos glanced back once at the bed despite his vow not to. The woman was still prone under the covers, and he thanked the gods weakly for small miracles. He rushed for the door, not wanting to take any chances and slammed straight into the tiny angel who'd been waiting outside for him to answer.

On instinct Zelos reached for her shoulder to stop her from falling backwards, and he pulled her against his front to keep her steady. She let out a soft squeak of surprise as she landed with a muffled thump into the safety of his chest, and without thinking she wound her arms about his waist and held herself against him firmly in relief. The initial worry that had led her to go after him in the first place had become a near fear when she and Seles hadn't managed to find him in the first few hours. "Thank goodness I found you."

Despite himself, Zelos' hands moved instinctively to return her hug. Her relieved embrace confused him though, but only for a moment. It was unlike him to leave without a word, and likely she had worked herself into a frenzy thinking of the trouble that could've found him. Her actions touched him, and weakly he dropped a hand from her back and raised it to pat the top of her head fondly. "You were looking for me?"

"Yup, Seles and I left the mansion a few hours ago. We've been all over Meltokio looking." Colette answered affirmatively, but for the life of her she couldn't find the strength to let him go just yet. She pressed her face against the front of his shirt, wondering why she felt so much better when he tightened the arm across her back in response to her hug. She'd been scared after the first hour, and she knew that if Seles hadn't been with her she would've probably started to get a little hysterical. Too much had happened in the past few weeks to allow her to remain calm if one of her comrades were gone without warning. She leaned back just enough to fix him with a stern stare as she scolded him,"You should've let us know you were headed out last night."

'Not unless I wanted you to see what a bastard I am.' Zelos mentally retorted, but he kept the words and emotions behind an iron gate that he never planned to open. Instead he smiled apologetically and ruffled her hair, not wanting her to become suspicious as he answered with a hint of sadness he couldn't disguise, "I'm really sorry, angel. I won't do it again. I know I must've had you pretty scared."

The emphasis on her made heat swarm to her cheeks, and Colette hastily added on as she became hyper aware of their close proximity, "S-Seles was scared too!" She skipped out of his hold, feeling a mysterious regret when she did so, but she maintained the distance. Her heartbeat slowed and the warmth in her face faded and let her gain control again. She took in a deep breath and admonished, "You need to apologize to her too, okay?"

"I'll make sure to apologize to her too." Zelos promised with a soft chuckle, but inwardly he cringed at the thought of his sister tracking him down through the city. She was still ill, and unlike Colette, she knew exactly where he'd often disappear to. He wondered if she would out that to Colette, and he grimaced at the thought. Seles had no problems in the past stalking Sheena and demanding she never go within a foot of him ever again, and he knew she'd done the same to other women too. She made no secret of her disgust with the behaviour, but she also refused to blame just him. He'd have a lot of apologizing to do, he noted with a grim sigh.

"A-And don't go off again like that." Colette reiterated her first point, and she glanced down at her feet, suddenly unable to look him in the eye. Her thoughts tended to scatter whenever she met his gaze, making it hard for her to ever really carry on a good conversation with him. She took in another deep breath but her voice had shrunk as she whispered, feeling the pain of the losses she had yet to really properly mourn, "I... was really worried. I know you might've had things to do... B-But... at least leave a note next time, alright? I... don't like not knowing where everyone is... that they're all okay..."

The guilt in his chest tripled at her quiet explanation, and he wanted to draw her back into his arms and hug her close until she finally smiled again. He was about to do it too until he heard the sound of the doorknob behind him turning. His innards dropped to his feet, but he couldn't do anything to stop what was about to happen.

The door opened slowly, almost mockingly, and Colette's eyes widened a little bit as she looked over Zelos' shoulder to see the brunette woman clad only in the blanket from the bed. She had it wrapped about herself in such a way that there was no doubting the curves underneath the blood-red satin, and Zelos flinched as he realized the older woman had done it purposefully. Her hair was still a mess from their romp and she'd lowered her improvised wrap just enough to let her audience see the darkening love-bite on her collarbone.

She took a neat step outside of her room, and without acknowledging Colette, pressed herself fully against Zelos' side. He stiffened at the contact, but she didn't seem to care as she asked with a sultry tone, "You were gone when I woke up, Chosen. I thought you promised to stay all day with me. Wasn't that what you said last night?"

Zelos bit down hard on the inside of his cheek and closed his eyes tightly as he tried to wish himself out of his body and into a different one. There was no such power to grant his wish though, and when he opened them he was still where he was standing like a sculpture in the hallway. His voice though had disappeared instead, leaving him unable to say a word in his defence. He couldn't look to Colette, nor could he face the brunette, and instead he stared straight ahead as his mind stayed treacherously blank.

The brunette woman slid a playful hand down the front of his shirt, expertly popping open the buckles as she went, and Zelos reached automatically to grab her wrist to halt her. She pouted at that, but her eyes moved to see Colette standing to Zelos' left, her eyes wide and her expression one of shock. The brunette's expression flickered for a brief moment, and then she returned her attention to Zelos and pressed her other hand to his, ignoring the fact that the blanket about her shoulders bared enough to give both Chosens a good view of her chest. A hint of a smile curled her lips cattily, and she questioned in a stage whisper, "Are you perhaps bringing in a friend to join the party, then? I wouldn't mind, I guess, if it's you. But... I thought you said you didn't like blonds."

At this Colette let out a stifled gasp of pain, and Zelos felt the dam holding back his words shatter. It was too late though, as Colette spun on her heels and fled the hall, with only a broken sob proving just what state she was leaving in. Zelos cursed and was about to go after her, but he turned about on the brunette and shook her hands free of him with a look that could kill as easily as his blade could. His voice was ice, and full of every ounce of authority his position still commanded as he snapped, "Get the hell out of Meltokio, now, if you have a shred of self-preservation. I swear on every single bit of power my title as a Chosen grants me that if you don't, I'll make your life a living hell here."

The brunette's mouth popped open, but if she planned to retort Zelos didn't hear it as he left her standing there and chased as fast as his legs could carry him after Colette. His mind, now free, was racing as quickly as his feet were, trying to find the words he wanted to say but he couldn't settle on anything. He dodged a patron going down the hall and leapt the railing for the stairs as he caught a flash of blond rounding down the spiral staircase.

Knowing he wouldn't make it if he followed her properly, Zelos bounded over the railing and landed hard on his feet at the bottom of the sloping stairway. His legs ached in protest, but he didn't care for the pain as he realized he'd effectively blocked Colette'e escape route as she came down and saw him there.

Her eyes were full of tears, and the look of agony and shame in her face hurt past any wound Zelos could ever remember receiving. She froze on the third step, clasping her hands to her chest as if to hold herself together as she trembled in effort to stop the sobs from escaping her throat. Zelos made to climb the steps to reach her, but she shook her head and halted him with a sharp, "Don't!"

"Colette..." Zelos spoke softly, painfully, but he did as ordered and didn't move from where he'd landed. His legs were aching, making it an effort to stand, but he refused to grab onto the railing to keep himself upright. He'd show no more weakness, and the grim determination in his gaze proved that. He held out his hand, in an offer or to stop her from fleeing again, he wasn't sure as he tried again, "Don't run away... Please, let me... explain."

"No." The word was out of her lips before she could stop it, and once it was, Colette knew it was what she had wanted to say. The tears made it hard for her see, but she was sure she saw Zelos recoil as if she'd slapped him by denying him. Her heart hurt from his expression of pain, but _everywhere_ stung from the sight she'd just witnessed. He reached again, and she shrank back from his hand as she hissed in anger that he'd dare try to touch her after what had happened.

Something shattered inside of her heart, and she felt the strength seep out of her like the tide. Suddenly, she wasn't sure what hurt most, the fact that she'd just seen another woman touch the chest she'd happily embraced time and time again, or that she was now aware that she wasn't the first to do so. How many others had been caressing him after he ruffled her hair or stroked her cheek? How many times had he gone into the arms of some other woman after she'd let him out of hers?

Colette choked on the sob that threatened to break the terse silence that filled the gap between them. She was confused and hurt, unsure of how to put her emotions into words, or coherent thought. All she did know however was that being near him made it all the worse, and she couldn't bear the pain. She shook her head, sending tears flying as she repeated brokenly, "No. D-Don't... Just, don't..."

To her surprise, he stepped aside. His cerulean eyes were dark, full of pain and regret, but still he moved from his position on the staircase and turned his head. She didn't need any more permission than that, and she bolted down and past him with a speed that would've refused to let him touch her if he had second-thoughts.

Zelos watched her go, expression unreadable as she turned the corner for the foyer and fled the inn. Moments later, as he expected, Seles came hurtling around the corner instead, and her expression promised more pain than any enemy could ever inflict physically. She stopped upon seeing her brother, and then her scowl grew more pronounced as her suspicion was affirmed. Even with the look of guilt and regret, Seles didn't spare him as she demanded in a snarl, "What did you _do_?"

He'd heard that question many times in his life, and Zelos mused that the answer was always the same regardless of the circumstance. He rested a hand against his chest, where he was sure the last remains of his heart was withering away into nothingness. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily as he answered without a trace of bitter humour, "I was born, Seles. I was born."

* * *

**Southern Ozette**

**Evening**

Lloyd was silent as he picked his way through the dense forest that surrounded the hilly village of Ozette. Though his hands moved on robotic impulse to push aside branches that obstructed his view, his mind was somewhere else entirely. It was firmly focussed on the single message Tasogare had left for him at the final seal he had broken, in the ruins of the Tower of Mana. The soldier she had sent after him had been quivering with fear, clearly bullied back into her service as he handed over a scrap piece of parchment with a handful of words written on it.

The script, neat and plain cursive was easy enough to read, and the words were crisp and to the point. Two days from the delivery of the message, at dusk, he was to meet her on the southern outskirt of Ozette for instruction. He had just arrived, wasting as much time as he could before the rendezvous simply travelling on Rheaird in the free skies. It was something he savoured, since he'd been strong-armed into the service of the Desians. At least in the air, away from the ground and the conflict... He could imagine he was free.

The southern entrance was a risky place to meet, and Lloyd had already spent a good portion of the afternoon avoiding Mizuho sentries. Still, orders were orders and he wasn't about to push his shaky impasse with the brunette commander. So he hid amongst the darkness until he had a chance to move into the forest without being spotted, and hurried north as quickly, and carefully, as possible.

As he pushed through the last bit of foliage, Lloyd was surprised to find himself entering a tiny graveyard that he'd never seen before in Ozette. He wondered errantly if it had been placed there after the rebuilding efforts, but his musing was cut short as he spotted the angel he had come to meet. She was on the opposite end of the cemetery, leaning up against the fence that cut it off from the village and forest. As usual she was ignoring him completely, with her golden eyes focussed on one of the headstones at the far northern corner. Flowers dotted other headstones around her, proving that it wasn't as cut off as he had assumed to be because of the location. The grave she was examining likewise had a single rose laid on it, but as he approached she turned her gaze up and to him.

Lloyd took a moment to respectfully glance at the headstone he approached. The stone seemed relatively new considering the age of the other markers in the graveyard, but the date of birth and death was nowhere to be found. Instead there was only a single name and inscription, giving no hint to the corpse the stone marked.

_Piers. Taken too soon._

Lloyd looked to Tasogare again, who was eying him with her usual unexpressive stare. He wondered irritably why she had chosen to meet at a graveyard, and the emotion must have showed on his face because her lips pulled back into the tiniest hint of a smirk. He ignored it however, knowing that it was likely just another ploy to make him uncomfortable. He stood amongst other headstones and folded his arms over his stomach as he demanded, "So? What do you want, dragging me out in the middle of pretty easily found territory? You are aware that there were seven ninja in the forest, looking for us, right? I thought you were all about subtlety."

Tasogare ignored his barbed comment. Instead, she turned back to the marker as if she was addressing it when she spoke in a calm voice, "The time for subtlety is ending. My position has become perilous within the ranks of Cruxis. Auin is openly threatening my authority, and I have little choice but to return to the fortress for some time to reassert myself. This, of course, means a change in plans."

Lloyd went cold at her blase tone, and his hands curled into fists but he shoved them hard into his elbows in an attempt to look calmer than he felt. There was nothing good about changing plans, and though he admitted to being far from happy under her current one... He could only imagine how horrible her new one would be for him. He refused to let it show though, and his voice was deceptively smooth as he questioned, "And? What does that mean exactly?"

Tasogare gazed at the stone for another long moment, and let a beat of silence fill the air between them. Finally she sighed and turned her attention back to him, and he became aware of a lattice of bandaging poking out from underneath her shirt. She paid no mind to his confused stare, and instead answered him stoically, "That means... Your orders are changing. You already know that you've performed your last raid... and that of course means that Yggdrasil is now moving to mass the amount of mana required to repair his soul. Once he is returned to full strength... He will summon you back to the castle."

"Like hell." Lloyd hissed as his anger mounted at the calm way she discussed his fate, and the fate of the world. She watched him without emotion, and he snapped, "You know I won't walk willingly to slaughter. Nor will I let Yggdrasil get a hold of my body. I won't surrender Aselia to anyone." He paused, watching the way she continued to stare at him without concern. He wondered if she really was unmoved by this, by the idea that the world she lived in could come crashing down about her ears because of her. "Do you even care what would happen to the world if you delivered me to him?"

Tasogare's answer was quick, but not robotic, and there was not a hint of dry sarcasm or repentance in it. "No. I do not." She saw him opening his mouth to argue with her, every line of his body showed his fury at her, but she interrupted him with an uncharacteristic bite of her own, "I will not argue philosophy with you, Irving. What happens to this world is of no concern to me."

Lloyd could have happily ignored her self-centred words and continued on arguing, but he sensed it would be futile. She was in a fiercely sour mood, and he guessed from the bandages she sported that her attempt to regain her territory had not gone well either. There would be no use in questioning her motives, as she'd never answer him. Instead he tried a different tact, wanting to soothe his nerves and curiosity. "Fine. What are my new orders then, _Commander_?"

The mocking use of her rank irked her, especially considering the loss of her troops at Auin's hand. He had moved swiftly after their confrontation, killing indiscriminately until he'd massacred a quarter of her men. The rest were too terrified to return to her side, and left her virtually without an army. The few still loyal to her were now silent, infiltrating the ranks and trying their best to remain alive as she scrambled to regain the upper hand.

Still... Tasogare was nothing if not patient. She had spent too much time working underneath the radar to let a few unfortunate incidents to ruin her. She took in a deep breath through her nose to calm her irritation, and when her steadiness had returned she was almost glad for it. She leaned back carefully against the fence, and cool gold met suspicious adust as she answered him, "Your new orders... are an informal release from my service."

Lloyd couldn't have been more shocked if she'd drawn her blade and ran him through with it. His eyes widened to the size of plates, and he fumbled for words that simply couldn't be found. He wanted to make her repeat her words, over and over until they were all he could hear but she wasn't the type to waste her breath on him like that. He shook his head, unsure of himself as he repeated in confusion, "You're... releasing me?"

"Informally." Tasogare clarified, and the momentary relief she had seen free his gaze was gone and replaced with an intense suspicion. A hint of her good humour returned at his unwillingness to take her words at face value, and she tilted her head as she explained, "I cannot have you at my beck and call now. Auin is already suspicious of my motives for keeping you under my thumb, and I will not allow him to sniff any deeper into my plans. I also have no time for you, and to have you close will only make it more difficult to avoid handing you to Yggdrasil when the time comes. So... You are a free man. Partially."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lloyd demanded, frustrated with her underhanded tactics. She seemed to be offering him exactly what he wanted, but then tugged it out of arm's reach with her following words. He didn't understand what she was trying to say, and demanded clarity. "I don't need to go running around for you anymore? Or is this just some fancy way of saying you need me to disappear for a while?"

"Consider it a promotion from underling... to something approaching an equal." The words tasted horrible on her tongue, lie as they were and she knew Lloyd knew it too. She wouldn't relinquish her grip on her best playing piece so easily, or for such a small reason. She needed him to complete her goal, and as much as he hated it, he needed her just as much. Only she could get him close enough to Yggdrasil to shatter what little remained of him. "You will still be my tool, Irving. I don't plan on letting you slip from my grasp that easily... but I can no longer be your master at this point. It raises too much suspicion. You must cut your ties with me, at least on the surface. For now... You are free, even if I still intend to hold you to our bargain."

Free. He had heard that word from her once before, and what he'd been forced into was nothing even remotely resembling freedom. He'd traded a small cage for a larger one, but nothing had really changed. He was still chained to her, and from her words and expression, she wasn't removing that particular shackle yet. However... His heart ached as he wondered if she was offering what he thought she really was. "So... I...?"

"Precisely why I am releasing you, Irving." Tasogare answered him bluntly. "You alone are not sufficient. I need the power of your comrades. Without them, I will never have the strength necessary to take on Auin."

Lloyd wondered why he didn't feel relieved to know he could drop the pretense and return to his friends. Yet, he did know, after a moment or two. They wouldn't accept him back with open arms, with no questions. Not after what he had done. They would demand answers, and he wasn't sure if he could give them any. "Some freedom. They aren't going to listen to me. Not after everything that's happened."

Tasogare was honestly surprised by the venom in his voice, and the indecision in his eyes. She had already tested him, weighing his loyalty to his comrades against the urge to return to them, and he'd chosen their lives over his own pleasure. She had assumed he would take his newfound freedom without question or hesitation now that it was his. She shook her head, baffled by his logic. She never would understand humans, no matter how well she knew how to use them.

Still, it wasn't as if he didn't have a point. She tilted her head to the left as she examined him head to toe, and she considered letting out one of the many bagged cats she still had buried somewhere deep underground. She considered if it would ease his hesitancy and possibly make it easier for him to return to his comrades... It would be worth revealing.

"I assume you are talking of the murder of the governor-general in Palmacosta? If so, you needn't worry."

" 'Needn't worry'?" Lloyd spluttered, and his fury from beforehand came roaring back with a vengeance. Of course she didn't understand the consequence of taking a life of a friend. How could she? It wasn't as if she understood the meaning of the word personally. She had no friends to claim. "For someone claiming to know everything, you are so damn stupid!"

"Am I? After all, you don't even remember what happened that night, do you?" Tasogare shot back with an annoyed shake of her head. That left Lloyd cold, and his eyes narrowed in confusion at the words she shouldn't know. He'd never said anything about barely being able to recall that night, the death he had wrought. Even so much later, with so much reflecting... it still seemed like such a bad dream instead of something he had done. She met his gaze and released the weight in his chest with a calm, "I may have no magical ability left to me, but I still am capable of many a different power. You already know that Exspheres allow for a body and soul to separate with more ease than should be proper... and you know what it is like to be possessed."

"Y-You...?"

"Subtlety, Irving." Tasogare mocked his former words with a hint of a smile, but there was no mirth in her eyes. She crossed her arms over her stomach and shook her head as she explained flatly, as if discussing nothing of more importance than the colour of the grass they stood upon, "I didn't need to completely plant myself in your body to control you. Providing a strong influence was more than enough. True, I could not control my own body while doing so, and I definitely couldn't control yours... it was possible to influence your mind, and cause you to act as I wished without too much interference. Yes, your body did kill the governor-general... but truthfully, it was my mind that made it so."

The facts clicked perfectly into place with a haunting echo, and Lloyd was numb as he digested her words. It made sense, in a painful way, and he did faintly remember her bare hand coming into contact with his Exsphere when he'd reported that he'd been seen in the Academy. It was only after that instant that the memory became foggy, and he'd heard her order him to finish the job. The feeling was nothing like the full assault Mithos Yggdrasil had waged on him in an effort to take complete control, but it had done a similar task. With her soul brushing ever so carefully against his, she'd coerced him into killing a former friend, all the while making him feel as if it was nothing but a dream.

A wordless roar of fury burst from his chest at her blatant disregard for life, for anything, and he found himself launching at her before he could think twice of it. She sidestepped automatically to evade him, but he was faster and had caught her off guard for a split instant. He tackled her to the ground, and as she reached for a dagger to try and halt him, he'd already unleashed Flamberge and pressed the blade against her throat.

The fire of the sword reacted to his anger, and around the orange blade true flames were spitting and crackling. Her skin began to burn against the mana-fuelled blaze, and she hissed with pain but Lloyd didn't withdraw his close proximity. Rather, he pressed it all the closer, allowing the blade to leave a lasting burn that she wasn't likely going to forget or heal from soon. His eyes snapped with that same fire, and he spat angrily as he knelt over her, "You bitch...! I should kill you right here, right now, for every single _fucking_ thing you've made me do! You're worse than Yggdrasil! At least he's insane! You don't have any reason for what you're doing! You just slaughter without remorse! What's the point of having your help if you're going to destroy everything around you in the process without caring about it?"

Twice in the past thirty-eight hours Tasogare had found herself on her knees, and she was growing quite tired of holding herself back. The sword on her hip was screaming for release, for blood, and she was feeling its dark call pervading her normally well-controlled mind. It was a snake's hypnotic hiss, crooning her name and causing her hand to reach for the blade to draw it.

Lloyd saw the internal war waging in her eyes, but he was beyond being frightened for his own livelihood. Only a shred of himself warned of the consequences of his actions, while the rest was too far gone. He hadn't realized until that moment just how much he truly hated her, all sense of grudging respect be damned for it. He remained perched on top of her fallen body, a foot resting on either side of her torso as he handled Flamberge at her throat and kept his other hand on the Vorpal Sword in case she decided to try and attack. The scent of burning skin was pungent in his nose, but he saw past it as he hissed in challenge, "Go ahead, Tasogare. Draw your cursed sword and try and kill me. I'll have your head off your shoulders before you even make it out of the sheathe. I'm sick of you omnipotent bullshit, and I'm through taking orders from you."

The call was no longer soothing inside Tasogare's mind, it was a shriek at an octave that was painful. Her hand was twitching now, and she focussed intently on the blaze that was slowly but surely burning her skin away. She was glad for the agony, as it did much to empty the urge to fight him and she knew if she drew her sword there would be no escaping the inevitable. She would lunge for him, body no longer her own to control, and try to kill him. He would fight her, and if he did best her, the sword would take her own life instead in its need for blood. Things she couldn't let come to pass if she wanted revenge.

So instead with an effort that left her mentally exhausted on top of physically wounded, Tasogare lay her arm flat on the grass. Her tense body relaxed as she took in a deep breath and felt the mania drain from her too. She met Lloyd's coldly furious eyes, and for a split instant, she saw her own reflecting back at her instead. The comparison disturbed her, and in an effort to avoid it, she spoke in a strangely calm voice for her position as she answered his challenge, "If you think you can kill me, you have my leave to try."

Lloyd wasn't sure what stayed his hand as she offered herself to him again, and he wasn't sure who he was beginning to hate more; the angel who held all the strings or himself for dancing to her tune. The flames of his sword were beginning to die down, reacting to his temper, but he kept it close just in case she was planning on striking when he hesitated. The bubbling skin at her throat looked positively disgusting to him, and he could imagine how much it hurt, but he felt no sympathy. Instead he retorted venomously, "And what about _your_ precious revenge, eh? Going to let that slip away from you?"

"You will not take that from me." Tasogare reassured him coolly, and with a narrowing of her eyes. She had spent too much of her long life assuring herself that if there was one thing she would do, it would be to bring Auin to his grave. She wasn't about to let anyone get in her way either, regardless of their use to her. She knew that determination made it to her eyes, because Flamberge began to crackle again as Lloyd's gaze narrowed on her. "Don't think too highly of yourself, Irving. I can and will make an exception for your usefulness if you threaten my goals. You will not stop me. Death will not stop me."

Despite every bit of him wanting to cleave her head from her shoulders, he had to admire her drive. She would not surrender. Her hatred for Auin went beyond anything he had ever seen before, and worse, he understood it. Her will was much like his own, resolute and unbreakable. In another life, much like he had seen with Mithos Yggdrasil, they could've been companions. He wondered if he hated her so because he saw their similarities.

Golden ice stared into auburn fire, and for a long moment neither seemed willing to yield. Then with a protesting hiss, the fires surrounding Flamberge petered out into tiny vortex of smoke. Lloyd straightened himself and stepped away from her, feeling an acute sense of failure as he did so. On top of that though was a stronger feeling of satisfaction. He was human. He valued life. And he was better than she was for it.

"Get up." He growled out roughly, and though he bet she was going to do it anyway, there was still an essence of victory when she ambled effortlessly to her feet. She pressed a hand to her throat where he'd burned her, and errantly he wondered if it was to scar. He would not apologize for inflicting the wound, as it was a poor punishment for what she had forced him to do, and he knew she understood and accepted that. He held Flamberge loosely at his side, and ground out between gritted teeth, "I'm returning to my comrades, and how I'll do it is none of your business. Go and handle whatever it is you need to while I do the same. As much as I hate to admit it, I do need you to help me get to Yggdrasil, and I know you don't enjoy needing a lowly human to help you get to Auin."

"Aptly put." Tasogare agreed dryly, but all the same she was a bit impressed by the sudden confidence that his anger bolstered him with. It would be all the harder to manipulate someone who had regained their spirit, but the challenge was one she was looking forward to. She wasn't yet ready to call him an equal, but he was quickly approaching it. "One month. We will meet again on the Ossa Trail, at the peak." She sensed him bristling at her order, and she was quick to dispel it lest he decided he was going to try and override her, "As a show of good faith, I will give you a lead that you can follow in the meantime with your comrades."

In spite of himself, Lloyd was curious. She had withheld much from him, and he had a strange feeling that the days of her secrecy were beginning to come to an end now that he'd asserted himself to her. He wondered somewhat sarcastically if he could've saved himself months of angst by doing so much earlier, but there was no point in wasting time thinking of those things. "A lead?"

Tasogare's lips pulled back into a smile, a dark one that reminded Lloyd instinctively of Auin. Her golden eyes glittered with a rare light as she repeated, "Yes, a lead. One that Yggdrasil has kept secret for many centuries, to the point where the truth was distorted into a fiction that almost the entire world believes. Follow it, and when I meet you on the Ossa Trail one month from now, we will be able to secure a weapon that Yggdrasil fears, even in his immortal state."

"I'm all ears." Lloyd said firmly, and he felt a thrill go through him at the promise in her voice. Strangely, he didn't doubt what she was telling him, as her expression was alive for the first time since he'd met her. She was eager, as if sensing victory, and that made him all the more anxious to finally have the upper hand. "Tell me what I need to know."

"First, you tell me, Irving. What do you know of Niflheim?"

**AN:**

**Yes, before anyone says anything, I am more than aware of what a Class-A bitch I am. Let me assure you that I don't take any pleasure in some of the things I write, especially when I hurt my favourite characters. As I moaned once to a good friend of mine many years ago during one of my much darker periods; "I do mean things to nice characters, **_**and**__** I don't know why.**_**"**

**However, one thing I did enjoy doing was finally giving Lloyd back his balls. That boy was in serious need of them, but again, I couldn't do it right away. Nope, I made him wangst, as Tv Tropes oh-so-fondly puts it, but I do consider it partially justified, at the risk of dating myself. Still, now that he's really back in action, I finally get to heat things up... and I'm coming so late to the party it's actually totally sad. I'm really glad to be closing this arc soon, it was such a pain...**

**Mood: Guilty**

**Listening To: "Ice Queen" - Within Temptation**

**~ Sky**


	24. Testing The Waters

**Meltokio**

**Zelos' Mansion**

**Noon**

"Is it possible for us to have even a week without something monumental happening?" Raine groaned as she pushed herself through the door to her room and across the thick carpet to collapse into the bed that she had loathed to leave that morning. Regal chuckled from somewhere above her, but the professor was indulging herself with a rare moment of petulance and buried her head against the soft mattress and continued grumpily, "First Sheena, Presea and Genis arrive back at the mansion with a badly injured and rather wild-looking Noishe, who I wasn't even aware had left the safety of Iselia. Then Colette returns from her search for Zelos nearly in tears, but she refuses to speak a word about it and locks herself in her room. Seles and Zelos are right on her heels, with the youngest sibling look like she's ready to murder her brother, who also locked himself in his room. Half of our fighting force is still recovering, freshly wounded, or suffering from something they won't speak about, and the other half aren't exactly prime coliseum material, pardoning our skills which just don't match well with close-up combat. Did I forget anything?"

Regal snorted at his wife's accurate summation of the past six days, and he set aside the book he had been reading so he could reach out and gently brush her messy hair back into place. She grumbled softly, but leaned into his attention, letting him know that she was only really venting and wasn't truly upset. "I don't think so."

The initial grumpiness faded away, to be replaced with the true concern that underlaid her bad mood. Her eyes closed as she flashed back mentally to Colette's tear-filled face when she had burst through the front door before escaping for the stairs. Raine could only count on a single hand how often she had seen Colette cry for herself, and she cringed as she wondered what in Aselia had made the blond so upset.

Frowning in concern, Regal propped himself awkwardly on his elbow and asked quietly, "It's Colette, isn't it...?"

"I know for a fact that Zelos had something to do with it, but for the life of me I can't bring myself to ask her again." Raine sighed with both defeat and pain, and she curled up close into Regal's arms. He ran his fingers errantly through her hair to soothe her, but her frown remained as she continued, "She looked as if she'd just seen Lloyd all over again in the Temple. I'd happily browbeat Zelos until he gave me an answer, but he looks nearly as bad as she does. It's a giant mess that we definitely didn't need."

Regal had to agree, and he let out a tired sigh as he combed his fingers through her hair continuously. Zelos had looked suspiciously hungover when he'd returned with Seles, which had caught both of them of guard. It had been a long time since he had seen Zelos in such a way, and he had a feeling that there would be more to come if the problem wasn't nipped in the bud immediately. "Unfortunately, there are things even we cannot do. Colette won't allow our help, and I'm very doubtful that Zelos will allow for it either. They will need to settle their problems on their own."

Raine grimaced and rolled over onto her back to glare at the ceiling. To stand still and away while her students suffered went against her nature, even if she understood why she had to do it. She closed her eyes and forced herself to let go the instinct that refused to allow her students to grow without her. "I guess so... It's just... so infuriating."

A little chuckle escaped his lips at her annoyed voice, and he tried to hide the smile that he felt was forming on his lips but there was no stopping it. Normally she would be able to leave them to their own devices without much difficulty, but recently she hadn't been able to do so. She'd become much more protective of her students, and with the recent trouble keeping them all on edge, he couldn't blame her. He reached over to take her left hand in his, and then ran a finger carefully over her wedding band on her finger as the laughter he felt faded away to be replaced by a single thought he had quashed when the new journey had begun again.

"Regal?" Raine questioned in confusion at the uncertain look he was wearing. He was gazing at the ring on her hand intently, sending a wave of anxiety through her. He'd let go of her hand and she drew it forward to toy with the simply golden band nervously. It wasn't like him to fall silent so suddenly, or look so strangely, and she swallowed back her nerves as she repeated, "What is it...?"

He took in a deep breath, as if steadying himself to speak. He knew Raine was hesitant about his change of manner, and truthfully he was too. The thought had been drifting in and out of his mind for weeks, and though he had planned on raising the matter between them eventually... He wasn't sure why it had become important for him to say it now. His eyes met hers, and he began haltingly, "Raine, I... am aware that this isn't the best timing... nor is it the best circumstance for me to suggest this... but lately... I have been wondering... and..."

Raine shook her head, irritated, exasperated and somewhat frightened by his bumbling behaviour. It wasn't like him, and it made her wonder errantly if it was how the students she taught so carefully felt as they stumbled over their first loves. She reached for her iron centre to banish her emotions, and told him as frankly as she could when it failed, "Regal, you're beginning to worry me. Just come out with it."

The words succeeded in breaking down the last bit of fog that had stopped him from speaking, and Regal sighed as it fled to leave him clear-headed again. He reached for her hands, and she willingly wound her fingers into his. He savoured the feeling of the warm metal of their rings touching, and he asked quietly, "Raine... After this journey... after the war, and the fighting... Would you consider having a family with me?"

Raine's eyes widened in alarm, and her sense of balance vanished and left her grasping at the edge of the bed to keep herself upright. Her mouth was abruptly dry, and instinctively she placed a hand on her flat stomach as she imagined it protruded with child. Her child.

She found herself back in Flanoir, sitting cross-legged on the bed as her mother prepared to open the doors sealing her mana from her use. The dream she had envisioned herself in came back with a vengeance, and she bit down on her lower lip as the familiar ache of longing returned just as strongly as the dream had. After the marriage, Raine had wondered what it would be like to have a child of her own, to raise a son or daughter with her husband in their peaceful world. It had been an enticing thought, but as soon as George had been murdered, and their lives thrown back into battle... She had buried it as deep as she could.

Regal watched the flickering emotions in her eyes, and he realized with a bolt of pain that he had spoken too soon for her. Again he reached for her hand, and he drew it away from her stomach and folded it between his palms. She gazed at him, eyes full of apology and regret, and he smiled weakly before leaning down to kiss their joined hands. "Don't look that way, Raine. I understand that right now isn't the best time to ask you these things. We have other problems at hand."

She wasn't sure why she felt the need to admonish him for that, but she leapt at the instinctive response anyway and yanked her hand from his grip. She reached to cup his face, and spoke firmly as she met his gaze with a steely resolve, "Regal, no. It's not that I don't want children, or that I'm unprepared for it... I am. I've been a mother... long before I was an adult. I think I could raise a child... but... not in this world. Not now. I'm... not ready for a child just yet." Her eyes softened, and this time she stood up on her knees and kissed him tenderly before whispering sincerely against his lips, "But when the world is settled again... when we've finally regained some balance... I will be ready. And I'll happily have your children, Regal. There's nothing I want more than to have a family."

Regal's eyes glittered with happiness, and he pulled her into his lap as he rested his back against the wall. She laughed softly as he rested his hands on her hips, and smiled down at him as he returned the expression boyishly. Years melted away from the two adults, leaving them like giddy teenagers at the prospect of a future without blood and violence and turmoil. He gently pulled her closer, tilting his head up to kiss her as he chuckled, "I will hold you to that, you understand."

"I understand." Raine laughed gently, and she wound her arms about him to return his kiss happily. She just parted her lips for his tongue when a strike of pain from her temple made her draw away with a foul curse. He started in surprise, but she raised a hand from his shoulder to press two fingers against the aching spot where a migraine had suddenly formed. She scowled at the ill timing and pain, and muttered at his worried stare, "I-I'm sorry... just... suddenly..."

Her body felt off-kilter, as if she was floating despite sitting perfectly still in her husband's protective arms. An electric tingle had startled underneath her skin, reminding her strangely of the feeling that using her spells had. She pulled away slightly from him, and raised her free hand to study it as if it was the first time she saw it.

Regal recognized the confused light in her gaze, but he held her carefully as she curled each finger individually and then formed a fist. She tilted her head, mouthing something he didn't catch before she let out a surprised yelp when a single green spark formed on her index finger and danced about her palm. Baffled, Regal looked up to question her but her expression had suddenly hardened with a strange resolve.

Raine moved swiftly out of his lap, and she rolled her surprised husband onto his stomach without warning. She only faintly heard him questioning her, but the buzzing in her skull tuned him out. The tingling underneath her flesh was one she was intimately familiar with, and one she hadn't felt for many months. It was the sensation of mana flowing through her body, swift and strong and ready to be used.

"_In order for me to open up the pathway, it's necessary for you to reverse the situation that closed it in the first place."_

"Lay still." Her voice didn't seem like her own as she issued the order, and carefully she rolled up her husband's shirt to his shoulders so she could bare his healing skin to her eyes. The fading burns still pained him though she had done much to decrease his pain and heal them. With the echo of her mana, infused still with her mother's streaming like a waterfall inside of her body, Raine felt a confidence that had deserted her when she had realized her healing arts had abandoned her.

She spread her fingers and kept her hands a bare inch away from his flesh as she began to focus every iota of her mind on his wound. She pictured the mana swirling about her hands, down her fingers and into his body, healing every damaged cell it came into contact with. Her voice was heavy, laden with magic as she whispered, "_Healing Circle_..."

Regal gasped sharply in alarm as a warm coating of mana spread from his wife's hands and completely spread itself across his back in an inch-thick layer. His fingers curled into the mattress as the magic sank through his skin as if it didn't even exist and went to work on the burns that still made it difficult to sit up straight and stretch. He could feel it working its way through his body, repairing the broken skin and burned muscle and banding together new tissue to cover the scars.

Raine exhaled slowly as she felt the absence of mana sap her strength and leave her dizzy as the spell spluttered out. The mana had done its work, leaving fresh and unblemished skin where a lattice of scar and burn tissue had once been on her husband's back. She felt her body sway dangerously, and she clambered onto the bed before her legs collapsed out from under her. She watched as Regal sat up, reaching around himself to touch his healed wounds with a look of comical awe.

"The spell... it... it came back." Raine whispered softly, and she gazed back down at the hands with a strange smile. The influx of mana had caught her off guard for a moment, but she'd understood instantly that a pathway had opened. Though her body was paying for her immediate use of the mana, she couldn't have been happier. She grinned childishly at her husband, who returned the gesture, and with a laugh she pounced back into his arms and hugged him tight. "I'm finally relearning what I've lost! This is great!"

Chuckling at her glee, Regal returned the embrace wholeheartedly. The pain that had kept him from moving too much was finally gone, allowing him to wrap his arms firmly around his wife's middle without strain. He met her eyes which were dancing with life, and smiled as he agreed, "This _is_ great. This can only mean that more will follow now that you've opened more pathways. You're recovering, at last."

Overwhelmed with the euphoric knowledge that she was finally recovering, Raine commanded with a sultry laugh, "Come here." Her husband obeyed with a smirk and sat up straighter in her arms before she leaned down and kissed him thoroughly.

"Hey, we're about ready to– Whoa!"

Raine let out a curse at the second interruption that week, and she scrambled to escape the rather suggestive embrace she and her husband had been locked into before Sheena had pushed open the unclosed door. Hastily she began to smooth down her hair, and she looked with annoyance at the doorway but the ninja had already fled outside into the hallway to give the two a second to recover. She'd heard the rather colourful expletive that had followed Sheena's escape, and frustrated, Raine let out one of her own as she pushed herself out of the bed and to her feet.

Her husband though didn't seem too bothered, which only worsened Raine's mood. He never did get nettled even in the worst circumstances. In fact, he was even laughing quietly at the entire situation with a shake of his head. When his wife turned the force of her gaze on him he tried to stifle it, but it was a losing matter. He shook his head a bit more before answering between low snorts, "My... apologies. It's just... It was quite funny."

"Maybe from your perspective, but I'd rather never see you two locking lips ever again, thank you." Sheena retorted sarcastically from her hiding place behind the wall, but she still ducked instinctively when she heard Raine grab a pillow and toss it with all her might in her general direction. The projectile slammed into the open door, causing it to bang loudly into the wall, just narrowly missing Sheena's feet. The ninja winced, but she kept her attitude as she added on, "Hey, don't get mad at me, you guys left the door open!"

"I was sure I closed it." Raine grumbled under her breath as she straightened her jacket, and she swatted at her still-laughing husband as he moved gingerly from the bed. She shook her head at him and pushed lightly on his shoulder to make him stay. "Now where do you think you are going? I may have just healed most of your back, but you still can't be running around Meltokio. I want you to rest a little bit more."

"Still?"

"Wait, you healed him?" Sheena asked over Regal's unhappily grunt, and she poked her head back into the room with one closed eye as if expecting to see them still wrapped about each other. When she concluded it was safe, she leaned on the doorframe and studied Regal's freshly healed back with surprise. She gave a low whistle of appreciation and shook her head as she exclaimed, "Nice job, Raine. Does this mean you're getting your mana back in order now? About time, everybody was starting to get worried."

At this Raine completely forgot her annoyance and she turned to Sheena with surprise at the casual mention of her recent struggle. She had thought it a secret between herself, Regal, Genis and Presea, and wondered weakly who had said something. When she glanced at her husband questioningly he shook his head, obviously as mystified as she. She let out a long and defeated sigh as her body slumped, and she asked tiredly, "How did you know? I thought I kept it hidden well enough."

"Everybody figured it out when Regal was doing all the healing when we all got back together." Sheena answered with a tiny smile, and she folded her arms over her stomach as she leaned comfortably on the doorframe. She understood well Raine's desire to keep her friends from fussing over her, but as Sheena herself had learned, her comrades were impossibly stubborn when it came to knowing about their friends' welfare. "No one said anything because we thought you had enough on your plate already. Colette was a bit mad at you for keeping it a secret, but if you apologize she'll probably be okay."

Raine couldn't help but laugh at Sheena's blase way of speaking of the problem that had plagued her for months. The ninja knew how to defuse a person's inner turmoil rather well, and the professor was grateful for it. She ran a hand through her hair in resignation and sighed, "Okay, so my cat left the bag a long time ago. Good to note. So, returning to the reason why you barged in...?"

Sheena's face coloured pink, and she looked out the doorway suddenly as if something outside had captured her attention. She had no intention of ever again walking into a room without calling first, even if the door was open. She also knew that the image was likely to stay with her for awhile, and the thought made her grimace in distaste. Forcing herself to get back on track and away from the unwanted thoughts, Sheena explained, "I was coming to tell you that everybody is ready to go, pretty much. No one's called dibs on fighting, but we are all suited up. We were waiting on you."

"I apologize, and I'll be right down." Raine told her with a second laugh, but it died out when she saw her husband clearly wanting to go with her. Ignoring Sheena's grin at the sight, she pointed imperiously at him and reiterated, "You are not going anywhere. You're in no shape to fight."

"I do not wish to fight, however I do wish to watch as a friend does." Regal replied with furrowed eyebrows, and a bit of a frown. He could hear Sheena trying to cover her snickers and inwardly he smiled at the spectacle he and his wife were making of themselves. It was an amusing thing to wheedle with her, and even with an audience he didn't find his mood souring. "It only means a short trip to the coliseum, which is barely a five minute walk. I am more than fit for that much exercise, and seeing as I was bedridden all week, I am in need of it."

"He has a good point." Sheena piped up with a giant smirk, though she ducked a little when Raine whipped her head around to glare at her. Her good humour remained though, and she pointed out with a raised eyebrow, "Besides, having him with us would be helpful just in case someone gets wounded during the bouts. You aren't used to having that much mana at your disposal, so you need to take it easy."

Raine knew when she was beat, even if it irked her greatly to say so. She raised a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes, regretting her words before she even spoke them, "Fine, you win. I won't argue."

Regal smiled slightly, which was practically a smirk of victory to his weary wife. Sheena however couldn't resist letting out another loud laugh, which she followed up with a teasing whipping sound. It was quickly muffled however when Raine got her hands on another pillow and sent it flying her way. The missile hit an empty wall, and Sheena's laughter could be heard fading down the hallway as she made good on her escape again.

* * *

**Asgard**

**Midday**

Harley scowled as he heard the sound of knuckles rapping on his door for the third time that day, and he instinctively rose to his feet to give the bespectacled boy who had been harassing him a good fireball to the pants. As quickly as he had stood however, he sat back down with a grimace. He wasn't yet ready to face his friends, not after what had happened with Rourke and the Desians. He covered his eyes with a hand and absently reached out to toy with one of the many figurines he had built in the past few days of his hiding. The desk he sat at was covered with them, but his past hobby gave him now joy as it used to.

The rapping stopped, but to Harley's dismay, a quiet voice he recognized called hesitantly through the door to reach him, "Harley...? I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but... I... I'm worried about you. Please... come out."

"Aisha." Harley groaned through his fingers, and he glanced with longing at the door to his left where he could picture her standing just outside, with her beautiful face pinched with concern. Despite every inch of his body wanting to tear open the door, Harley remained seated on his stool and inside of his hallowed-out home. He couldn't see her yet, not when he still wasn't sure about himself.

Through the door Aisha continued to speak, though her voice was painfully quiet and sad, "I need to go home and tend to Linar, but... I'll be waiting for you, Harley. I'll leave some lunch on your porch... I know you haven't been eating... I'll be back in a few hours... okay?"

He heard the sound of metal being set down on stone, and he sighed as her kindness. Linar had been stubborn and angry whenever he'd stopped by, demanding that he come out of his hiding place and tell them what was wrong. The once sheepish boy had grown quite brave in defending his sister and the half-elves who had made Asgard their home in recent times. Aisha however had not changed. She was still as quiet and gentle as always, with that hint of steel that allowed her to be so brave and stubborn when time called for it.

"I'm sorry, Aisha... but I don't want you to see me yet. I'm not... ready." Harley apologized to no one, and he stared down with disgust at the hands he had almost used to kill Rourke. When he'd fled from the sight of battle and returned to Aisha's home, he'd been violently ill with the thought of what he'd narrowly escaped doing. Without explanation to a frightened Aisha, he'd left for his own house. Thankfully Linar had managed to evacuate the half-elf refugees without harm, but he had broken an arm in the process when a Desian sentry had spotted him.

The town had slowly settled down since then, with the arrival of Renegade soldiers posted on the outskirts to keep the peace. Still, Harley remained indoors, locked away from his friends in an effort to cope. He was ashamed of himself, of the bloodlust that had nearly drove him to kill.

Another knock jolted him from his thoughts, and Auin felt his will waning away. His feet pulled him upright, imagining Aisha back at his door, and unable to check himself he walked to it. He found himself reaching for it, and when his mind caught up with his body it was too late to stop. He pulled it open, with the name of the blue-haired woman on his lips, "Aisha?"

Standing at the porch however was someone Harley didn't expect, and his mouth popped open in surprise as his bright eyes met dark adust ones. Though the swordsman wore a traveller's mantle and the hood was up to cover his spiked hair, there was no mistaking him. Lloyd smiled ruefully at Harley's surprise and the original call, and replied with a hint of amused sarcasm, "Not for all the Gald in the world, man. You gonna let me in or just stand there gaping at me?"

Harley wasn't entirely sure how to react to Lloyd's presence, but he did respectfully back away from the door's entrance to let Lloyd inside. Once the door shut behind him Lloyd dropped his cowl and shook the static from his hair as he let out a relieved sigh to be indoors. He sat himself down on a nearby chair and then turned his attention to the still-gaping half-elf. His smile grew more sincere, and he apologized contritely, "I'm sorry for just barging in like this... but I didn't know who to go to. And... I was worried about you, after what happened."

At that the life seemed to return to the orange-haired half-elf, and he took a seat opposite of the swordsman who'd intervened at the best possible moment. He smiled weakly and adjusted his bandana wearily as he answered, "You saved my hide... I owe you. You can come barging in any time you like."

Lloyd chuckled a bit at Harley's attempt at humour, but the mirth fell flat. He could see the indecision in the half-elf's eyes, and the pain deeper beyond that. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward as he asked, "Are you okay, Harley?"

Harley couldn't ignore Lloyd as he had with Linar and Aisha, and so he replied with complete and utter honesty, "No. I have no idea what I would've done if you hadn't stopped me. And that scares me shitless. I didn't think I was... that angry."

"You have every right to be mad... but the fact that you hesitated proved that you aren't acting just on anger." Lloyd reasoned with a bit of a frown, and he settled himself into a more comfortable position on the chair while keeping a firm gaze on Harley. "You're better than Rourke. You're way better than Auin. Don't doubt that. You didn't even harm him, and you still feel guilty. That's more than enough proof for me to believe you're a good person."

"Heh..." Harley shook his head from side to side tiredly, but he didn't try to deny Lloyd's praise. It felt good to have someone deny the words that had been circling through his mind, and the sensation was too powerful to ignore. He glanced down at his hands and then muttered, "You're way too idealistic for your own good."

"I've never heard that one before." Lloyd laughed with a bitter note, and this time he was the one shaking his head. He ran a tired hand over his face, letting his real exhaustion show for the first time. He looked as if he had aged thirty years since Harley had last seen him.

"I know you didn't come here for a social visit." Harley remarked with a raised eyebrow, well remembering the pained explanation for Governor-General Neil's death, and the many people searching for the swordsman who was now sitting so casually in his underground home. "You've got everybody from Asgard to Flanoir looking for you, but you decide to come to my door of all places? What's really going on Lloyd?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Lloyd answered quietly, and he flinched at the memory that no longer was shrouded with fog and despair. Tasogare still held a single chain over him, and one that he couldn't willingly shake off with ease. Instead, he reached to unfasten the silver chain about his neck and rested the necklace he'd been wearing since being separated from Sheena down before him.

Corrine's bell chimed awkwardly, as if something was stuck inside it as it was placed on the table. Lloyd stared down with an unfathomable expression at the golden trinket, and after a long moment he nudged it towards a confused-looking Harley. His voice was quiet, deadened of emotion as he explained through a tight throat, "I want you to give this to a Renegade soldier. Tell them Sheena Fujibayashi needs it immediately. They'll make sure she gets it."

Harley took the bell carefully from the table, and he angled it thoughtfully in the lamp's fading glow. The golden steel seemed almost molten in the firelight, and as he examined the bell closer he spotted a small slip of paper stuck inside of it. Knowing that the message was private, Harley didn't touch it but instead looked to Lloyd and asked with narrowed eyes, "Why aren't you going to give it to her yourself?"

Lloyd's eyes softened with pain, and he gazed longingly at the bell as if he wanted to do just that. However something stopped him, and he turned his gaze to the table instead. "I intend to see her... but later. I'm not exactly free to travel around like I'd like to, anyway."

The half-elf nodded in understanding, and he folded his arms about his middle at the thought. With everyone searching for him, it was a huge risk for Lloyd to even try to enter Asgard. That alone proved to Harley that he intended to see Sheena one way or another, but carefully. He felt honoured to be trusted with that kind of task, and it showed as he closed his hand around the bell. "I'll do it. As soon as you're clear of the city, I'll go and deliver it to a soldier."

"I owe you." Lloyd sighed softly, almost with regret as he pushed himself up and to his feet. He wanted to remain inside, to stay with a good friend for at least a little while longer... but he knew better. The Renegade soldiers would find him if he stayed any longer, and he wouldn't risk Harley's safety for a bit of comfort. He pulled his cloak closed about his body again, and made for the door only to pause when he heard the half-elf getting up to stop him.

"I don't believe what they say about you murdering the governor-general." Harley spoke quietly but resolutely, and there was a determined glean in his eyes as he met Lloyd's surprised stare. He folded his arms over his waist and planted his feet firmly as he reiterated firmly, "You're a good man, and I know you'd never harm a friend. Whatever you're doing... I know it's for the best reason. So get moving. I won't breathe a word about seeing you to anyone."

Lloyd chuckled as he brought up his hood to cover his face so he could slip away without being noticed. He rustled the cloak loose to fully cover his body and swords, and then rested his hand on the door. He paused, unsure of whether or not he was overstepping a boundary, but then decided it'd be best if he spoke anyway. His smile was honest as he turned to look Harley square in the face, "Hey, a bit of advice... Don't keep Aisha worrying about you. She was outside your door for fifteen minutes before she got the courage to start knocking."

Immediately Harley's face turned red, and he stared at his feet with a mix of shame and embarrassment. Part of him wasn't surprised to hear that Aisha hadn't been able to call for him right away, while the other was amused by her stubbornness. He finally mumbled to the floor, unable to look up, "I'm not sure I'm ready, yet..."

"You love her, don't you?"

The blunt question was met with a beat of shocked silence, and Harley did look up to see Lloyd watching with an unfathomable expression. Harley forced himself to swallow back the denial he instinctively wanted to throw at the swordsman, but instead he reached for a different question in answer. "Do _you_ love Sheena?"

Lloyd felt his stomach shrink at the demanding question, but the answer was already in the half-elf's palm. He stared longingly at the bell that had kept Sheena close to him for months now, and then closed his eyes against the well of pain the separation still brought to him. It was why he was parting with the bell, why he was leaving Asgard and going north... So he could see her again. He never opened his eyes as he squeezed the door's handle that he'd yet to release, "Yeah... I do."

Harley nodded in acceptance, but he didn't say a word of answer to the question he'd had. Instead he let out a breath and turned his gaze back to the floor, deciding that it was enough. Lloyd left a moment later, sweeping out the door in silence to leave Harley alone with his thoughts. The half-elf looked to the chair that beckoned for him, but he forced his legs to remain upright. Lloyd's question hadn't just been about knowing his true feelings, but also his motives.

'I'm the biggest idiot in Asgard, aren't I?'

With the thought burned in his brain, Harley followed Lloyd's example and walked out the door to the path immediately on his right. He knew the steps as well as he knew his own hands, and within moments he was travelling up the lone path that would bring him to the house that sheltered his friends, his family. He raised a hand to the door, and knocked once, knowing that the time had come to give in.

When the door swept open, revealing a hopeful face framed by gentle blue curls, Harley was aware of the last bit of self-doubt melting away. He took the step up the porch, and fiercely took the startled woman into his arms and pressed her against his chest. She squeaked his name, but didn't try to escape, and that made him hold her all the closer. He saw Linar coming down the stairs inside of the home, staring curiously at the scene outside the front door.

Harley ignored that though, and hugged Aisha close to him. She let out a quiet sigh, and then her arms slowly, hesitantly, raised to encircle his shoulders and return the embrace. He rested his chin carefully on her shoulder, closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm home, Aisha... I'm home."

* * *

**Meltokio**

**Coliseum**

"We've come to the final round of the exhibition match of today's bout!" In the centre of the coliseum, standing between the two warriors who had come to do battle was a young man serving as an announcer. He grinned roguishly at the crowd, completely commanding their attention as he gestured wildly and dramatically with open hands and a loud booming voice, "Defending his forty-match long win streak is the infamous axeman and resident Meltokio favourite, Hector!"

The crowd, which had already been on their feet, roared in unison with glee as the Meltokio native raised a hand to greet the crowd. His gesture was polite, but his firm navy eyes were solely focussed on his opponent on the other end of the ring as he hefted his giant axe on his right shoulder. He wore no armour or helmet, but instead a simple pair of breeches and a shirt that matched the colour of his eyes. A wild outgrowth of dark navy hair curled on his head, mimicking the colour of the stubble that was poking out of his strong jaw that bore a smile. The silver-rimmed axe was roughly his height, but he wielded it with ease as he twirled it about and rested the blade on the dirt in a greeting to the angel who was to fight him.

Colette accepted the gesture, and returned it with a deep nod as the twin angel bracelets she wore slid from her wrists and into her hands. The thin golden jewellery pulsed with a warm light before transforming into her favoured chakrams, and she shifted her feet to take her stance as her wings once more burst from her shoulder-blades. She was surprised to see respect glistening in the gaze of her opponent, who seemed to be old enough to be her father.

Neither fighter heard the next round of introductions, but they were aware of the sound of the massive bell that warned of the beginning of the match. They stayed put at their ends of the arena for a long moment, weighing their enemy before beginning the journey forward in a wide circle. Slowly, methodically, they began approaching the other, not willing to underestimate their foe or rush in too quickly.

Just as Colette entered throwing distance, Hector raised his axe and sprinted the gap separating them. Colette's eyes widened in shock at the old man's speed, especially considering the size of his weapon, but she had no more time to digest the fact as he was upon her. He was still using one hand to swing his mighty axe, but it was enough as it sliced through the air with a deadly hiss and slammed into the ground mere millimetres from her foot.

She danced back and out of his reach as he dislodged the weapon from the dirt with a heave and swung it again in a full circle around him. Again she only barely pulled away to avoid the singing silver that seemed desperate to sink its home into her flesh. As she moved left and steadied her hands, she took a chance and threw her chakram in a practise strike as he whirled to press forward once again.

The golden weapon made a wide arc through the ir, trailing behind a glimmer of light in its wake before it made contact with the handle of the weapon that Hector had raised to block. Colette's lips pursed into a grim smile as an explosion of light followed the absorbed attack, and she dashed into close quarters while Hector reeled backwards, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.

Darting underneath the reach of his weapon, Colette picked up her fallen chakram with her left hand while swinging out with her right. The Angel's Halo almost seemed to sing when she swung, and the sharp edge cut cleanly through the man's sleeve in a blow she hoped would incapacitate the arm he used to carry his weapon. However she didn't draw blood, and in surprise, Colette quickly drew away as she realized beneath his plain clothes he wore a full body set of leather-bound armour that blocked a light blow such as hers.

Hector plucked absently at the torn sleeve as Colette retreated from the reach of his axe, and an amused smile lifted his lips as he gazed at the sizable gash her weapon had inflicted on his armour. He was used to fighting mercenaries eager to make a name for themselves but lacking skill or practise, and the golden-haired angel before him was neither. The armour he'd chosen for the fight wouldn't serve him against her deadly chakrams, which meant he would need to fight more smartly if he wanted to keep his limbs.

Colette's eyes widened a little as she watched him tear off the sleeve she had ripped through, revealing the damage she'd wrought on his armour underneath. 'So I did do something? Whoa... He's not like any enemy I've seen fighting in the coliseum before... I'll need to be more careful.'

"It seems I owe you an apology, milady." Hector called out across the battlefield as he advanced yet again to attack. Colette didn't retreat, but rather moved forward to meet him, causing the much older man to smile at her bravery. He continued as he lifted his axe and brought it down upon her once more, "I underestimated your fighting ability!"

Colette raised both her chakrams automatically to intercept his blow, and caught the edge of his axe between them. The strength behind the blow alarmed her, as her arms shook from the effort of catching his weapon and actually forced her to take a step back. He seemed just as surprised as she was, and she took advantage of the moment to drop her hold and have his axe carry down into empty air. He was pulled by the sheer weight, and as he fell she sidestepped and put her chakrams together in both her hands before delivering a mighty blow to his unprotected stomach.

He went sprawling backwards, his hand loosening on the axe but not entirely letting go. Colette knew better than to rush him again, as he recovered just as quickly and was steady on his feet an instant later. He winced and placed a hand on his stomach, where her blunt blow had knocked the air right out of his lungs. Somehow she had dulled her blades just before hitting him, ensuring that she wouldn't impale him with the strike, surely gravely wounding him in the process. The mercy behind her actions left him pleasantly startled, and he nodded his head as he switched his axe to his right hand instead of the left. The roar of the crowd watching their match made it impossible for them to overhear his words, and taking heart in that he said honestly, "Thank you. I appreciate your kindness."

Surprised by the sincerity, Colette blinked a few times at the pause. Though he seemed ready to go again, and this time with more seriousness, he had still taken a moment to thank her for the dulled blow. She glanced down at her chakrams, which hummed softly with golden brilliance. They were still dull, and would sharpen again when she willed it as they took form only from her angelic power. She then looked back up, and found herself unconsciously returning his smile before answering simply, "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You've a good heart, even if you're in the wrong place for that kind of thing." Hector remarked with a raised eyebrow, but she merely grinned at him to let him know she was well aware of the irony of her words when standing in the coliseum. He chuckled at the expression, and this time he held his mighty weapon with both hands as he announced firmly, "I will fight you with every ounce of my power, and I hope for the same kindness in return, milady."

"Of course." Colette replied, and she darted forward to take the battle back to him. Her wings fluttered and lifted her feet from the ground, giving her more speed and a better chance to manoeuver in and out of his range. He took an experimental swing at her, but she dodged gracefully to the left, and struck out again at his arms in the hopes of crippling him.

Hector anticipated her attack and turned his axe flat to absorb her blow. The chakram bounced off of the steel, and he heard Colette hiss as the recoil sent a bolt of pain up her arms. She tried to move to the side, out of the way but Hector advanced too quickly and with a twirl of his axe he slammed the butt of the pole into her stomach. She gasped audibly, but Hector wasn't finished. He pulled back briefly, then delivered the same blow again while she was stunned and breathless.

Her wings were her undoing after the second blow, which would have knocked her clean off her feet had she been standing. Instead, the impact sent her flying in the opposite direction and had her crash hard into the stone wall of the coliseum. Numbly she heard the back of her head crack loudly when she hit the wall, and in a splutter of pain and disorientation, her wings faded away.

The noise of the coliseum's screaming audience was a dull thrum as Hector advanced upon her once more, and she lay prone by the wall, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Her head ached viciously, and she was sure she could see two of her enemy coming closer from across the battlefield. Blearily blinking her eyes to clear the double-vision, she tried to get herself to stand, sensing the impending danger if she continued to sit down in her daze but her limbs refused to listen to her commands.

Something hot trickled down the back of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine as she gazed into Hector's expressionless face as he came ever closer. He was holding his axe dangerously high, and she wondered if he was close enough to strike. She couldn't tell, and from the dizziness she was still feeling from the impact with the wall, all she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep.

A loud command punched through the wall of confusion that had muddled her senses, and Colette found herself instantly alert as she recognized the voice. Whatever breath she had in her lungs left in a surprised gasp, and instinctively she turned her head, searching for the face to go with the voice that was cutting through the crowd to reach her ears.

"Come on, don't just lay there! Get _up_!"

Standing in the midst of a crowd of strangers and flanked by a worried-looking Sheena and a concerned Raine, Zelos had his hands cupped about his mouth to better magnify his shout. His blue eyes were blazing with emotion, a much better sight than the deadened expression that she had glimpsed him with since their encounter in the Sancta Cassius. He caught her gaze, and a flicker of the old pain returned but it was gone as quickly as it had come, and he scowled as he called once more with fervour, "Get up, Colette! Kick his ass!"

She heard Sheena yelling a similar encouragement, and could pick out the voices of Genis and Presea too amidst the hoots and hollers of the audience. Raine and Regal were doing the same, urging her to get to her feet and continue, to beat back the older man who'd gotten in a lucky strike. The water in her limbs was draining away, leaving her empowered as the voices of her friends returned her conviction to win.

With a grunt of effort, Colette used her hands to push herself off of the ground and back to her feet. Hector's eyes widened slightly, but then he was smiling, seemingly pleased with her sudden return to fighting strength. Colette moved her hands to their opposite wrists to retrieve the chakrams which had returned to their bracelet form when she had lost her focus, and with narrowed eyes she pulled them loose. As her wings reappeared, fluttering angrily as her battle spirit reignited, she thought she heard a whisper that even she shouldn't have been able to hear in the roar of the crowd.

"That's my angel. Go and get him."

In a flurry of movement Colette obeyed the orders of her friends and sprang back into battle. Her chakrams were a symphony of song as they cut through the air to be met at every turn by Hector's axe. Still she pushed forward, refusing to retreat again in the face of the half-elf's strength. He was quick and powerful, and met her blow for blow, making her work for each attempt that he foiled.

He was slowing though, and Colette sensed it. It seemed that each time he raised his axe it was taking a little more effort than the last, and the smile had disappeared a long time ago. His hands were impossibly firm on the handle of his massive weapon, and she could hear his knuckles crack under a particularly vicious combination he just barely halted. He seemed tired of being on the defensive, and with a grunt of his own he lashed out with a kick to her stomach, following it up with an overhead blow that would have taken her square on the forehead.

Colette couldn't evade the kick, but the strength behind the blow had her stagger backwards and out of range for the second attack. Her ribs cried out in protest, and she pressed a hand to them in a vain effort to try and relieve the pain. Hector lifted his axe again, panting for breath as he did so. He rested the blade on his left shoulder, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his brow with his right arm as she collected herself in a momentary reprieve.

'He's too good... I can't beat him in close combat.' The thought was sour, and Colette frowned deeply but she knew it was true. She'd yet to land a good and solid hit on him in their ten minutes of furious battle, and though she knew she'd worn him out, he still was able to meet her strike for strike. She was grasping at straws now, and knew it was only a matter of time before one of them got too tired to block a blow.

Refusing to lose to exhaustion, Colette's eyes narrowed as she allowed one hand to slacken its hold on a chakram. The weapon disappeared with a protesting burst of light, but already Colette was raising her hand and bringing it to her chest and moving it in a quick but accurate sign.

Down, up, right and left... Down, up, right and left...

Hector's eyes widened in shock as he recognized her movement, and with a growl he moved his body to rush at her before she could complete the ancient spell she was trying to cast. He heard her murmuring to herself, her eyes half-closed in concentration as he closed the distance. His axe was raised halfway, ready to lash out in a crippling blow that would probably knock her out cold if it connected but he never had a chance to finish the swing.

Colette's eyes snapped open wide, and the tender cerulean of her irises seemed to glow as her hand stopped its motions. A white light pulsed around her floating form, and her voice seemed to echo when she whispered, resonating with the power of every angelic being who had ever walked the planets of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, "_Oh holy one, cast thy purifying light upon these corrupt souls..._" Their eyes met, and Hector swore he saw a flash of triumph in her gaze as she uttered the name of her spell and started the chain-reaction that only few had lived to tell the tale about. "_Judgement._"

From the sky, seemingly from Heaven itself, a bolt of pure light slammed just a foot from where Hector had been standing a second before. It didn't matter that the strike had missed, as three more fell in instant succession. Hector, blessed with his Exsphere and many centuries of training managed to dodge those three, but the fourth struck just scant inches ahead of him and caught him off balance. He fell backward, and his eyes saw the opening in the cloudless sky and knew he wouldn't avoid what was to come next. He let out a chuckle as the ray of light hurtled to the earth, and he closed his eyes as he muttered, "Looks like my reign ends now."

It struck him square in the chest, and the sheer power lifted him from the earth and into the air as it rebounded through his body. He did not cry out through he was twitching and shaking like a rag-doll in the grip of a child as the pure energy coursed through his body. Other bolts of light fell all around him but not one connected, as if sparing him from the pain as the one he was immersed in faded and dropped him back to the ground.

Smoke curled around his prone form, and he groaned with pain as his mind processed all of the new hurts. Miraculously none of his bones had broken, but every inch of his body was crying out in protest when he thought about trying to sit up. His weakness astounded and humbled him, and laughing inwardly, he ceded defeat.

The crowd had gone silent, as if everyone present was holding their breath. With great effort, Hector raised a single hand as Colette watched with careful patience and anxiety. He waved it slowly from side to side twice, and then dropped it back to the ground with a muffled thump.

It was over.

Instantly the audience shrieked as one, some in agony others in jubilation, but Colette was deaf to it as she hurried forward to see how her enemy had fared. His eyes were closed but his breathing was regular, and though he was still smoking slightly there were no real wounds to show for his pain. She knelt down beside him, hand hovering worriedly over his chest as she questioned quietly, "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine with some rest... and possibly some brandy." Hector answered with a hoarse laugh, and he opened one eye to glance into her concerned face. It amused him greatly, how she had beat him and then came to his aid immediately afterwards but he was thankful for her kindness. She helped him to his feet, carefully minding his aching body as she did so, but he still had to lean heavily on her arm. His voice was low and cracked as he sighed, "I'm impressed... In pain, but impressed, young one. I haven't been bested like that in a handful of centuries."

His blithe mention of his age alerted Colette to the fact that he knew why she had sought him out in the ring, and her face reddened slightly. They walked carefully through the exit, alone in the small hallway before they'd enter the waiting room for the coliseum. Taking advantage of their momentary privacy, Colette asked quickly and in a hushed voice for confirmation, "So you know why I'm here?"

"Of course. It isn't every day that I'm challenged by an angel. You want information." Hector shook his head with a weariness of old age, and he gently pressed a hand to Colette's steadying arm so she would let go. He stood of his own strength, numbing the pain of the spell with will alone before he met her sharp gaze. "And I will give it to you, but I ask for a bit of rest before I do so. Perhaps later tonight, outside of the city gates. I cannot speak freely of these matters inside the city, you see."

"I understand." Colette agreed, and together they walked through the door to the waiting room. The moment they did, Colette became aware of a pale lavender-haired woman waiting in the wings, and the child she was holding the hand of. The little girl shook her hand free and launched herself at Hector, but stopped just before they could connect as she took note of the pained look on his face. Feeling like an intruder, Colette stepped away as Hector knelt before the little girl and opened his arms for her.

Instantly the child was hugging him, burying her face in the front of his chest as her navy pigtails swung from side to side with her every movement. Her voice was sweet and clear as she wrapped her thin arms as far as they'd go around him, "Daddy, I saw everything! Did you hear me and Mommy calling during the fight? I was as loud as I could!"

Hector smiled indulgently at his daughter's question, and he glanced up to meet the gentle green eyes of his wife. She was standing back, her hands folded demurely as she watched her daughter and husband. Her thin form was cloaked in a white dress, contrasting harshly with his dark armour and her child's bright orange finery, but she seemed at ease with it. He slowly stood, never letting go of his daughter's thin hand before reaching out to clasp one of his wife's in the other. "I heard you, alright, Leena. You sure are getting strong if your voice can carry out that far, huh?"

Leena puffed out her chest proudly at the compliment, and her eyes glowed with good cheer as her cheeks reddened happily. However the expression faded and she took a firm hold of her father's hand with hers and said sadly, "You lost, Daddy..."

"Yes, I did." Hector acknowledged with a deep nod, but when he glanced sidelong at the awkward Colette, he couldn't help but smile. It was a good lesson in humility, and he planned to teach his daughter that. He tugged fondly on his daughter's left pigtail, causing her to turn on him and swish her orange dress at the movement, "However, every warrior must lose sometime during their life. You can't always win every battle you fight."

"I will." Leena challenged him stubbornly, and she thrust out her lower lip in a pout and a scowl. Her eyes though caught sight of Colette, and ignoring her mother's cautioning call, she strode confidently towards the blond. Her voice was plain, containing no anger or lost pride on her father's behalf as she stated, "You were the one who beat my Daddy today."

Colette wasn't sure how to answer that, and her face pinked a little bit as she glanced over the girl's head to see Hector trying to hide a smile at his daughter's behaviour. She knelt down a little to meet Leena's gaze like an equal as she answered affirmatively, "Yes, I was. He fought very hard though, and it wasn't easy. I was glad to fight someone like him."

"You're very strong." Leena remarked with pursed lips, and she looked Colette up and down with all of the authority of a young child who was determined she knew everything there was to know. Her eyes lingered for a long moment on the bracelets she had watched turn into deadly weapons before she nodded firmly to herself. Placing a hand on her chest in a solemn gesture, she vowed seriously, "I'm gonna be as strong as you one day, and enter the coliseum matches too. I'll be a strong warrior like you, and never lose!"

Hector rolled his eyes a little at his daughter's attitude, and his wife stifled a soft laugh as Colette floundered for words at the praise. Her eyes were fixed on the trio, and a bolt of understanding came to her as Hector leaned forward to kiss his wife gently on the cheek and take Leena back into a one-armed embrace. He had left the Desian horde to start fresh, and live a peaceful life amongst normal citizens who would never know of his past.

'I wonder... if Kratos would have been like them if Anna had survived...'

"I'm afraid I must get going now. You gave me quite a battle to recover from, and I'm sure my wife would like to doctor my wounds." Hector chuckled as he glanced meaningfully at his pale-haired wife who rolled her eyes affectionately at his words. She squeezed his hand though, and his eyes softened as he returned the gesture. He then locked eyes with Colette and said in a voice full of respect, "I am glad to have tested my axe against you. It goes to show that even I could use more training. Perhaps again we could meet and spar."

"I would like that." Colette agreed with a happy nod, and with waves and smiles of farewell, she watched them go through the door. The initial surprise she had felt seeing the former Desian living so happily with a family had melted into a great feeling of warmth, and she felt the urge to protect them from what was to come. Her resolve was steel as she watched the door for a long moment, and she murmured to no one as she stood alone in the wings of the coliseum, "I really would like that."

Colette watched the family leave with a feeling of profound loneliness but it was dashed quickly when her own family of sorts came barging through the doors as one. Sheena was inside first, with a look of supreme relief and pride spread across her features, with Genis and Presea close behind while being flanked by Regal and Raine. Colette felt her lips stretching into a smile as they surrounded her, all chattering at once with good cheer at her victory and health.

"That was totally wicked!" Genis' praise was bright and cheerful, and he was grinning from ear to ear as he nodded to himself. He had seen her fight many a time, but there was just something about watching a coliseum bout that brought forth a new surge of respect for his friend's ability. He gave her a brisk hug, and all the while kept on exclaiming, "I knew you could do it, too!"

Regal's hand came down with paternal fondness on top of her head when Genis let her go. He gave her hair a short ruffle, and smiled while his eyes glittered as he congratulated her in his solemn but honest way, "A fine bout, Colette. You were magnificent today."

Raine nodded at her husband's congratulation, and she ran her hand experimentally down the back of Colette's hair as if looking for injury. She was gladdened to find that the blood she'd noted before had begun to congeal, meaning that the injury had been quite small though she had been shaken from it. Her eyes were fond but still carrying a hint of concern as she admitted almost sheepishly, "I was worried a handful of times during the battle... but you came out triumphant. I'm very proud of you."

"You're feeling okay?" Presea questioned immediately, and though her voice was calm there was no doubting the worry in her eyes. When Colette nodded merrily, the tiny hunter's lips pulled back into a true smile of relief. "I'm glad. When you were knocked down, for a moment..." She shook her head, dashing the thoughts from her mind before asserting firmly, "You were great out there, Colette."

"You can say that again." Sheena laughed, and she tugged the surprised angel into a firm and tight hug. The blond giggled as she happily returned the embrace, and the two held on for a long beat. Sheena's grip was firm, and she took the moment to duck her head against Colette's and whisper discretely into her ear as the others continued to talk about the match around them, "Zelos is outside. He wants to talk to you, but only if you want to meet him alone."

The words froze the good cheer inside of the angel, and her stiff body betrayed her hesitancy. The thought of the redhead made her heart ache all over again, but the memory of him and the brunette was tempered slightly by the sound of his voice yelling to her from the coliseum. The urgency in his words had stirred her when nothing else had, and she knew it was his voice that had brought her back and no one else's.

Did she dare go to him?

Again the ninja murmured into her ear before pulling away, knowing that if she held too long the others would grow suspicious. She knew that the matter between the Chosens was private, and she offered a bit of unsolicited advice solely because she hated to see Colette so wounded."He sounded... like a different guy. Whatever happened between you... I think he wants to fix it. Maybe you should give him a chance."

Colette hesitated for a moment longer, pulling the ninja close again, feeling secure in the sisterly embrace. Sheena had provided her with a great sense of familial love for a long portion of their reunification journey, and she truly did return the emotion wholeheartedly. Never once during their friendship had Sheena ever hurt her, and the advice she gave now seemed sound and given from the heart.

Swallowing the fear, the pain and anxiety, Colette spoke words that she felt unlock the box she had been trying so hard to keep hidden and secure inside of her chest. There was no taking them back once she uttered them, but a little thrill went through her anyway once they left her lips. Perhaps it was time she stopped treading upon glass that didn't exist under her bare feet.

"Tell him I'll talk to him tonight, outside of the city."

**AN:**

**Bahahaha, two-hundred pages! Damn, I feel good. My longest story written and published on FFN was about a 380 pager, (Don't look for it, I took it down eons ago, as it was a piece of shit that never should've seen the light of day!) but I think ANW will beat that record seeing as how it's moving along so well. I'd like to announce the closing of the Answer Arc with this chapter, and the beginning of the Resolution Arc with the next. I'm gonna estimate that the story is about three-fifths of the way finished at this point, but I'm not entirely ready to say that it's nearing a close. I still have a lot more to write, and as I look back I laugh at how much I've already written. It's hard to believe that I've pushed this project so far, and when I read the first chapter... I feel a sense of accomplishment that I haven't felt since I ended that 380 pager years ago... **

**Anyway, as I did last time, I'll give you some hints for the Resolution Arc. Niflheim, which I always wanted to include in a ToS story somewhere down the line is going to be featured prominently. Tasogare is finally going to lose her shroud of mystery, and Auin as well will have some answers coming to him. Yggdrasil himself, or what remains of him, will be making an appearance too. Some of the darker themes touched upon in this arc will show up again, but fear not, that fluff I promised you way back at the start of the story is finally going to show soon in this arc as well. I can't have a story without a good bit of a fluff, though it took me a long-ass time to get there, eheh.**

**Now, as promised, I have some new titles for you! :3 I hope you get a giggle out of 'em, cause I sure did as I always do, heheh.**

**Colette received the title of Tender Tears!**** A tender heart who rarely cries for herself and saves her tears for others.**

**Raine received the title of Renewed Knowledge!**** She will learn all she forgot again, and with an added punch!**

**Regal received the title of Amorous!**** Who says that romance is dead in our marriage?**

**Sheena received the title of Shaken Heart!**** There is unease deep in her chest tempered with a love that refuses to waver.**

**Presea received the title of Backup!**** She stands firmly in the wings with axe raised high, ready to provide needed support.**

**Genis received the title of Apologetic!**** I know it's not my line, but I know when to admit when I'm wrong.**

**Zelos received the title of Repetition!**** Sometimes the only way to learn is to repeat the mistakes of the past.**

**Lloyd received the title of Tempered Spirit!**** Even shaking with fury he sheathes his blade, because he values all life.**

**Tasogare received the title of Fallen Angel!**** Shunning the light and embracing the darkness, this angel has fallen far.**

**Auin received the title of Usurper!**** It will all be mine one day, no matter whose throat I have to cut to get it!**

**Skywolf66 received the title of Authoress-In-Training!**** I'm not yet a master, but one day I will get there!**

**Mood: Content**

**Listening To: "Sore Ga Ai Deshou" - Mikuni Shimokawa (Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu Opening Theme)**

**~Sky**


	25. Unlocked Boxes

**Latheon Gorge**

**Home of the Storyteller**

**Evening**

It had taken several months of construction, but under the careful eyes of the old elf banished from Heimdall and with the aid of able-bodied ninja and Renegades alike, the once wrecked home had been rebuilt. Despite the victory, there was still a sense of loss as the elf roamed about the newly built floors and examined the empty shelves where he had once written down the great many stories of the past. The sacred tapestry of mana leaf cloth was destroyed, and with what little of the plant remained, there was no hope of recreating such a large project in the short few decades he had left to him. He was old, even among his own kind, and positively ancient when looked upon through the eyes of humans.

So, with a silent and grim resolve, he had sought out old parchment, sturdy and thick, to begin his life's work anew. He was almost three weeks into his task, but knew that he'd be recreating what was lost for many years. The entire basement that had been full from wall to wall of history had gone up in flames, but even if it killed him, the storyteller was determined to fill it once more. It was both his passion and duty, to those hungry for knowledge and those bound by custom.

It was during the evening of a long day, when he had been bent over his desk, writing until his wrinkled hand had cramped and could no longer be used when he heard footsteps approaching his home. Though old, his ears were as sharp as ever and he knew the footfall that was coming closer. It surprised him a little, the quiet rustle of boots on the ground, but the tension faded from him. The guest was not one he feared, though many others didn't share his courage.

The door opened without a sounding greeting, but the storyteller expected no less. She was not one to introduce herself, and likely her journey through the gorge had left her annoyed and tired and in no mood to play the polite visitor. His pale eyes were keen as he appraised her, but there was no point. In the nine hundred and twenty-nine years she had lived, a good five centuries younger than he, she never had changed. She was still frozen in the body of a twenty-one year old, having long since halted her growth with the mutated Cruxis Crystal that was slowly killing her from the outside in.

He folded his tapered fingers in his lap as he adjusted himself in the chair while she closed the door silently behind her. His voice was level, calm and quiet as he greeted her with a deep nod, "Tasogare. It has been quite some time since you saw fit to grace this old elf with your presence. I'm afraid if you are here for the herb, you've arrived much too late. Your brother saw to it that there'd be none left for you to harvest."

Tasogare's lips twitched with the urge to scowl at the mention of Auin, but she forced herself not to show emotion. It didn't matter that she had an iron grasp of control on her expression, because the old one knew she was irritated at his casual call of her family ties, a secret she guarded with the utmost of caution. Still, his words proved her suspicion, one that she hadn't had the chance to confirm in the midst of her other multitude of duties. Auin had played a smart game but she had been lucky to have used Virginia to procure the necessary Mana Leaf Herb she'd need for the next little while.

Seeing that she wasn't about to simply lapse into conversation with him, the storyteller shook the pain from his hand and turned back to his work. He scrawled out several lines of an old forgotten legend before taking in a breath and speaking as he felt the angel's steely gaze on him like a blade, "Your brother also left a parting gift by destroying my home and the old legends with it. He seemed quite glad to burn the scrolls containing the link to our pasts. Are you maybe here to do the same?"

She didn't answer, but he knew that she was not like her brother in his hatred for the human and elf blood in her veins. It was true that she had no love for either of the races that had given birth to her, but nor did she hold the arrogant fury that led her brethren to attack or claim superiority. She simply was, while the others did all they could to deny what they were. As he worked, she continued to stand motionless in the cabin, causing him to continue on in his one-sided conversation, "So, you are not here to kill me, nor are you here to destroy the works I'm attempting to recreate. You've given me no hint to your reason for travelling all the way here, and I apologize, but I am too busy to guess. You'll need to come out and tell me what it is you are searching for if you want me to help you."

Again she did not speak, but her gaze had tightened just a fraction, enough to let him know that she did have a goal but what part he played in it she wasn't about to say. Feeling absolutely no fear, he placed his quill down and turned to regard her completely in his grey gaze. She met his eyes but he knew she felt no respect for him. She had no such feelings for anyone, having discarded much of her emotions many years before she had halted her growth. A necessary sacrifice to achieve her goals, and one that he unfortunately could not condemn.

Tired of her stubbornness, the storyteller began rubbing his hands together to soothe the ache that had begun in his old bones. His voice remained calm but had attained a sharper edge to it as he repeated, "If you are attempting to intimidate me, young one, you will find that I am not easily frightened. Your brother's violence, and your sharp mind are not enough to worry me. Even your master is not sufficient. Tell me why you are here, or leave."

At his brave words, Tasogare felt her lips pulling back into a grim smile. She may not have scared him with her silence, but her next words would. She folded her arms over her stomach and spoke coldly as she delivered the message she had been sent with, "Exire will fall in eight days. It will land on Heimdall, obliterating the havens of elves and half-elves in a single blow."

The storyteller's eyes widened and with his work forgotten, he staggered to his feet. He knew of Exire, and he knew a city of that size falling onto Heimdall wouldn't only obliterate the elven haven, it would likely cripple the surrounding continent and cities. Tasogare seemed completely unmoved, but he expected as much even in the face of such horrible news. His voice was hoarse as he whispered, "Such a blow... Heimdall will be wiped from the map. The villages nearby... Thousands, millions will die if Exire falls. Half-elves such as yourself... Why...?"

He already knew the answer when he met Tasogare's soulless golden eyes. For Exire to be taken out of the sky would be an act of warfare against half-elves. The discrimination against them would suddenly be met with righteous fury for their dead kinsman, with elves being scapegoats. An ironic thing, for the village of elves to be demolished by the city they had cast their children into. It would spark a fire across Aselia, one that the new country was not prepared for. A deadly plan, and a simple one.

"Why did you come to tell me? Do you hope to save as many as you can by giving them advance warning?" The storyteller laughed bitterly at the merciful thought, one that was completely uncharacteristic of her. She didn't care how many would die, nor did she care if Aselia was thrown into a war though would decimate the newly-born country. Her concerns were too personal for anything else to ever cloud her vision. He shook his head and sank back into his chair, muttering as he did so, "Really, child... How consumed can you be, to be unmoved by what is in motion? Is the death of Auin, your brother, all that matters to you?"

"You know better than to ask me that question."

He did know better, and so he didn't pursue the topic. She wouldn't give an inch, and the proof was the cursed blade that rested on her hip. He shook his head again, trying to clear his thoughts from images of dead and dying elves and half-elves, and the repercussions the fall of Exire would have on the rest of the continent. Humans too would die, and the planet would be permanently scarred. "So, tell me... What is it you are asking?"

"I will return in six days time." Tasogare adjusted her cloak absently, but her eyes bore into his and let him know that she was indeed taking the matter seriously, even if she had no personal stock in the outcome. "Depending on my message... You will need to send word to evacuate Heimdall. Whether or not the elder takes you at your word..."

That was the gamble. The storyteller held little standing in the elven village, even now, but he never had regretted his choice to leave. Now though, when facing such horrifying news, he almost wished he had remained behind. He didn't know if they would believe such an outrageous tale, that a city kept floating in the air by Maxwell could come falling down, and on top of their village no less.

"I will try to deliver the warning." He promised quietly, and with a great sigh of defeat. There'd be no telling if they'd believe him, if they'd even evacuate if they did. Still, it was the only thing he could do. He looked up to the angel who had come bearing the ill tidings, and narrowed his eyes somewhat. Her motives were murky, they always were, but he failed to see her angle now. He repeated his question, his face blanched white and eyes sharp with suspicion, "Why did you come? Why give this message to me? After all these years of silence... Why?"

There was no flicker of emotion in her eyes, but her jaw did tighten just a fraction. Her voice was low and sarcastic as she replied with her own series of questions, "What do you expect from me? A long and drawn out story of woe and regret? Perhaps some miraculous epiphany that had me change my ways?"

"I had reason to hope, but I suppose I should have known better." He answered with a tiny but bittersweet smile, and he pushed himself out of his chair and to his feet. He set aside his parchment and pen, and met her gaze for a brief moment before asking with a sarcastic note of his own, "I am going to guess that you've said all you had to say. I can't imagine you want to reminisce about the old days."

The mere idea made her want to scowl, especially when it came from him. She turned away and to the door, having had enough of both his presence and the conversation. She was nearly at the door, ready to leave, when he called out to stop her. She halted automatically, though she did not want to hear what he had to say. It was repetition, always the same, but still her feet wouldn't pull her through the door. She stood in silence, her hand resting on the doorknob and her back to him as he told her what she already knew.

"You will fail." The storyteller eyed her back carefully, wishing he could see the effect his words would have on her, if any at all. He maintained a calm and collected tone, even though he was shaking inside with anger and anxiety. Her presence stirred the worst in him, but he took a slight comfort in knowing that he did the same to her. "You cannot defeat him, or the master who holds his chains. You are too weak. Those you manipulate will not remain obedient forever, and they will take the first chance they have to kill you when they know you aren't needed any longer."

Tasogare raised her hand to her throat, feeling the scar tissue that Lloyd had left behind there. The wounds Flamberge had inflicted on her hadn't responded well to healing magic, but the pain had vanished even if the mark refused to. She knew Lloyd would take her head the next time she pushed him too far, and yet there was a part of her that relished the idea. The warrior that longed for combat inside of her wanted a chance to cross blades with him, even if it meant killing him in the process. However the strategist would never allow for it, and so she was at a stalemate. While she was lost in the memory, he continued on, jerking her from her plans and stiffening her back in reproach at his next words.

"You should never have chased the path you walk. There were other options, but instead you chose revenge. You should have let go."

She turned about so quickly that he had no time to react, and had he been younger, he still would have failed to see her reach into her cloak and unearth a dagger. She tossed it expertly, and the weapon hissed as it a sizeable gash in his hand before burying itself into the wall. Her golden eyes flashed with fire, and she snarled at him with uncharacteristic anger, "Spoken well, for a coward well versed in 'letting go'. Do not lecture _me_."

Ignoring the wound, the storyteller met her glare tit for tat. He was satisfied with finally getting an emotional response from her, even though his barbs were well returned. He raised his hand, allowing his blood to trickle noisily to the floor as he questioned harshly, "Will you kill _me_? As you'll kill your brother? Do I deserve that honour?"

"No." Tasogare answered coldly at his challenge, and she strode past him to retrieve her dagger and sheathe it within her cloak. She returned to the door, and glared over him at her shoulder as she explained flatly, "It would be a greater punishment to let you live than it would be to kill you. I hope you live for many more centuries, so you can suffer for each and every breath you take while those you were meant to protect lay dead in their graves." Her words hung for a moment between them, and with a low curse in elvish she swept out of the doorway and into the evening, melting into the shadows as she went.

The storyteller watched the open door for a long moment, but finally shook his head tiredly from side to side. Holding his bleeding hand to his chest, he walked to the door and closed it silently. He turned then, fixing his gaze on the small pool of blood his injury had left on his floor. All the strength faded from his body, and he muttered to no one, "If only you knew that I do suffer for my sins... How I wish it was I who died instead of them... but you are just as bullheaded as your brother is, even nine-hundred years later... No grandfather should live while his children dies... and then have to watch his grandchildren try time and time again to kill one another."

* * *

**Outskirts of Meltokio**

**Night**

The night air was crisp and cool, and Colette closed her eyes and took as deep as breath as her lungs would allow. The air burned slightly, but she savoured the sweet taste of autumn. The seasons were changing, ushering in the cold that would soon make way for winter. The blond stared up into the glittering velvet sky and wondered errantly when the snowfall would begin. She had always had a fondness for winter, especially snow. The broad expanse of white covering the entire world made for such a majestic sight that sometimes she forgot to breathe when she stared at it, trying to take everything in at once.

Sitting down with her back to the heavy city wall, she closed her eyes and tried to steady her racing heartbeat. Much was to happen tonight, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it all. She had agreed to meet with Zelos under the cover of the night, so they could discuss things privately, and she was to see Hector and finally have answers to most of the questions they all were asking.

She was surprised by how anxious she was for both affairs instead of just one. As she pictured the golden-eyed angel who had met them at every turn with an icy expression and robotic words... She couldn't shake the gut feeling that the brunette was truly suffering. Something about their enemy made Colette want to reach out and help, even if her advances were all spurned in favour of violence. She hadn't tried to explain her feelings again after the incident in the Temple of Lightning, but the pain she knew she sensed... It wouldn't leave her alone.

The thought brought her back to her first reason for being outside the city, and impulsively she began to toy with two necklaces she always wore. The wooden charm of Presea's and her Rune Crest felt oddly cool against her fingers, but she paid it no mind. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine what it was she would say when she saw Zelos again. She had thought it would be simple, that she could push aside her emotions and speak to him as she always did... Yet her heart wouldn't allow for it. Too many wild thoughts and feelings kept her from coming to a conclusion.

'I... don't even know... how I feel anymore...'

Her eyes snapped open as she heard someone running full tilt through the city and towards her. She only had enough time to scramble to her feet when the redheaded man she had been avoiding come leaping over the wall to join her. Her face reddened in a knee-jerk reaction to his presence, but she was slightly satisfied to see that he was caught off guard to have her right there too. He took several steps back and away from her, and lowered his gaze to the ground in an uncharacteristic look of meekness.

"I didn't think you'd actually be here." Zelos said quietly, and he smiled weakly with relief. Colette didn't look up from her feet, but he knew from her tense posture that she was listening intently. He shifted his weight awkwardly from foot to foot, thinking of the best way to begin. The words he had tried to practise once he'd heard that Colette would see him had vanished, leaving him floundering uselessly in the dark. Shaking his head tiredly, he mumbled pathetically, "And I've got no bloody clue how to even start..."

Colette though did, but she hesitated all the same when she looked up and met his gaze. For a moment she tried to forget what she had seen and felt that day, but it was a useless venture. She closed her eyes, allowing the pain to seep into her and let her remember why she'd come. She needed answers to her questions. Her voice was ragged and thin when she whispered, "How many?"

Zelos started, his eyes widening for a moment as he tried to understand. She refused to meet his gaze though, preferring to keep her eyes closed as if in expectation. He closed his own with a low sigh, and then balled his hands into fists as he answered her honestly, "In my life...? No idea. I never kept track." His eyes narrowed somewhat, knowing that it wasn't what she meant. He tilted his head slightly and added on, "But you're not asking about my bedpost notches."

"Since you met me. Since... we..." Colette couldn't finish, unsure of how to phrase it. They weren't lovers, but she couldn't call him her friend either. Something had pulled them across that boundary, and into unknown territory where there were no lines yet to cross. She took in a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts but again they scattered at her attempts.

He saw her plight and hastened to help her, and so he interrupted her quietly with his answer, "Just one." Immediately Colette looked up, her face a mask of surprise and he tried to smile in reassurance but the expression didn't make it to his face. He shoved his hands roughly into his pockets but kept his eyes on hers as he explained wearily, "Just that one time. I gave up women and alcohol after the journey... I didn't want to be that man anymore."

Colette swallowed her the angry demand she felt burning in her chest and took in a breath to try and calm herself. There was no point to arguing what he said, because it didn't matter how she felt about it. She returned her gaze to her feet, not wanting to see his eyes staring at her with earnest. He wanted her to believe him, and she did, but it didn't lessen the hurt.

Her silence was as loud as the denial she had thrown at him in the inn, and he accepted it without complaint. He closed his eyes for a long time, thinking of the words he wanted to say. He spoke with his eyes still closed and his thoughts focussed somewhere else, far away so that he could imagine she wasn't hearing him, "I thought for awhile I was in control, and that I didn't have anything to worry about... but I learned quick that it wasn't gonna be that easy. After all, the competition I have isn't exactly someone I could best." She inhaled sharply, and he fixed her with a impassive stare that belied the war broiling under his skin. His lips pulled back into a bitter smile as he confirmed her fears. "Lloyd isn't somebody I can measure up to."

The pain in her chest multiplied brutally as the full understanding crashed upon her in a landslide. The tender cerulean she had grown to care for were full of guilt, and his own envious agony that she understood much too well. She had thought she had kept the lid tightly sealed on her emotions, but Zelos had effectively ripped it asunder with his words. Her body swayed dangerously under the weight of the stress, but through sheer force of will she kept her feet anchored to the ground. 'All this time... He was just like me. How didn't I see that? I saw it before... I knew he was in pain before... When did I become so blind?'

Zelos stood firmly where he was, trying his best not to move his hands towards her in a knee-jerk response to seeing her eyes filling up with tears. He made himself look though, wanting to cement the image into his brain so he could remind himself what he'd done until the day he died. "He's a great guy... Not at all like me. I can see why you love him, and... I don't blame you. To be honest, I always wondered why Lloyd chose Sheena when you were always there... Even though it made me happy because I thought maybe I'd have a chance instead... but I was wrong. I'm not the type of guy you need. You deserve better, and I proved it... I just..." He faltered for a moment, meeting the gaze that seemed to be filling with more and more tears with every word he spoke. It broke his heart to see her in so much pain, and he uttered the words he wished he'd said much earlier when he'd let her run away from him, "I'm sorry. I wish I could take it back... wish there was some way to prove to you that I mean what I'm saying... but this is all I can do. I'm... sorry."

It was her line. Colette couldn't even remember how many times she had uttered it, or when she had even begun the habit of carrying the blame for everything around her. Hearing someone else say it to her, him of all people, just felt wrong. Even though part of her felt justified, knowing he had to apologize for the wrong he'd done, it didn't lessen the strangeness of the words. The two sides of her left her confused and conflicted, and she could only try and shake her head to clear the static so she could think clearly.

Zelos watched her for a moment, taking in the quick shake of her head that had been the sole response to his soliloquy. He smiled weakly, knowing it was exactly what he had deserved and it was what he'd expected. Letting out a deep breath he hadn't thought he'd been holding, he accepted the denial stoically. He'd berated himself well already but there'd be more time for it later when he'd given her the space she needed. Staring at his feet, he turned around and took the first of the many steps it would take to bring him back to the mansion. He repeated himself once more, wanting, needing, to say the words, "I'm sorry..."

Colette jerked her head up when she heard the grass crunching underneath his feet, and her eyes widened as she realized he meant to leave her. A curious feeling went through her in that brief moment when she fixed her gaze on his back. The tender little organ inside of her chest that she had thought broken gave a cry at the thought of him going, while also mourning something she knew she would have to release if she wanted him to stay.

"_So... So... I'm really happy that you and Lloyd fell in love, I am, really. I'm glad that you got me to see that he was like my brother and not something else, because you let me see that..."_

Her feet moved for her, and she threw herself with every ounce of her strength at the retreating figure who had taken half of her heart with him. He staggered in surprise but managed to keep himself upright, but she wouldn't let him turn around to embrace her properly. Pressing her tear-streaked face into his back, Colette wrapped her arms tight around his middle and whispered through her sobs, "I lied. When I told Sheena I was happy for her... when I was glad that she and Lloyd were together... I was lying. To her... and to myself. I loved him. So much that it hurt, but I didn't want them to know. I was so sure I was going to die, one way or another... that before I knew it, I'd pushed him too far away, and I couldn't get him back. It wasn't until I saw him in Flanoir with her... that I understood what I'd done. It was too late though. I couldn't hurt him... or her by interfering. I loved them too much."

Zelos inhaled deeply, reminding himself to keep a tight leash on his emotions for her sake. He reached down slowly, taking her shaking hands in his and keeping as still as he possibly could. He remembered seeing her in Flanoir, staring out silently on the balcony as Lloyd took Sheena's offer to go outside with her. The two had gone to the terrace together, leaving the two angels alone together. In company, but still more alone than ever. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, letting her know that he was going to listen until she had finished her explanation while keeping his tongue.

"I thought I would get over it. They were both so happy that I thought I was being selfish by hanging onto my feelings. I tried so hard... to push them away..." Colette clenched her teeth as another sob threatened to break through her words, and her entire body shivered at the force. The words she spoke tasted horrible on her tongue, but she made them pour out, because to put them back in their grave would surely kill her. "I tried to talk to Sheena in Meltokio... I thought maybe she could help me... but I didn't get the chance to. I was... confused. You... You were always there for me. You helped me through so much... and I never... never felt the way I did when you were around me before. Then Sheena and I got to talk in Flanoir... and she said something I didn't think about before."

"What did she say?" Zelos' voice was ragged, heavy with the desire to turn around and embrace her, and also to shake her away so he could leave. It killed him to hear her talking about her love for Lloyd, and though he was somewhat intrigued, almost hopeful by her words... He didn't want to believe it.

"When I held you back from healing Genis... the only thing I could think of was you killing yourself to help him... and I couldn't let it happen. Sheena said... that it was scary when we realize where we place our highest priorities." The words were tumbling out faster now, as if she was anxious to let them go free regardless of their taste, of the wounds they opened. Her tears flowed just as quickly, dampening the back of his shirt but she still held on. "She... She meant that I was putting you first... and it... it made me realize I was... stuck. I know that there's a part of me that still is bitter... still is angry with Sheena and with Lloyd... but there's another part that... makes me wonder if maybe... I've already... moved on somehow."

Her hands had loosened on him, not too much but enough to let him turn around now. Zelos whirled quickly, catching her falling hands in one of his before she thought he was going to run away. Truthfully, part of him wanted to, to keep the bitter conversation out of his ears until he could forget it had ever taken place. However there was another part of him, a bigger one, that knew better. Holding her by the wrists, Zelos reached up with his free hand to slowly brush away her tears with his thumb.

She sniffled softly but didn't pull away, closing her eyes as she allowed him to wipe away the evidence of her fit of emotions. When he was finished, she opened her eyes slightly, and she was met with his suddenly tender gaze. Her face began to warm almost instantly, but she chastised herself for it. She couldn't be weak to him, not yet. Not when she wasn't sure still. She swallowed the lump in her throat and stood a little straighter, but let him keep his hold on her wrists as she mumbled hoarsely, "You didn't love them... any of them, did you?"

Surprised by her question and the fact that she had understood his antics now, Zelos wasn't sure how to answer her for a brief moment. There was a challenge in her expression, and then he understood her test. She was afraid he was using her, that he didn't care, and though it hurt to be suspected so... He knew it was her right to be suspicious. He answered her honestly, and reached up to wipe away the last tear he hadn't caught, "No. I never loved them. I never loved anyone, really. All I had as my one constant was Seles... until I met Lloyd and the rest of you guys. Then I finally understood... and let myself trust again... Let myself love for once. Let myself love _you_."

She had expected his first words, but the last caught her completely off guard. Her eyes widened to the size of plates, and her entire body suddenly lost all of its strength. She was aware of her face turning red again, and this time she couldn't help herself when she whispered, "R-Really...?"

"Really." Zelos chuckled a little at her surprise, at the innocence she still retained when she had to ask for a second confirmation. His hand was gentle on her cheek as he stroked the fading tear-streaks that marred her creamy skin, and he resisted the impulse to lean forward and kiss her. It was too much still, too soon after what had happened. His voice fell a level anyway though when he repeated himself slowly and clearly for her, releasing the pent-up emotion that he'd finally put a real name to, "I love you."

Colette had always considered herself cowardly, but a strange feeling of courage surged through her at the words she instinctively believed. There could be no lie in that earnest voice and the tender hands, and emboldened, Colette reacted in a way she never thought she would. Taking a deep breath, she reached up to wrap her hands around his collar and pull him down as she stood up to touch her lips to his.

There was a brief moment for both of them when their insecurities and anxieties faded away and left them as a simple young man and woman locked in an embrace. They were finally without titles and weapons, and could revel in an innocence neither had really felt for many a year. Then it was shattered as a polite cough interrupted them, causing Colette to leap away with an embarrassed squeak and Zelos to stumble backwards with a low curse.

Hector stood by the gate, wearing an odd and mischievous smile as he looked from Colette to Zelos in a comically exaggerated way. The blond angel had a strawberry-coloured complexion that matched well with her companion's fiery hair, and from the look on the young man he wasn't too pleased with having been captured in a moment of private pleasure. Feeling intensely amused at the sight of young love, Hector couldn't resist the urge to quip, "Well, I see I interrupted. Should I return on the morrow when things have... er... cooled down?"

"N-No, it's okay!" Colette hastened to explain as she looked sidelong at Zelos who had a hand pressed against his face and was counting in a low voice backwards from thirty. She turned her focus to Hector, and to her embarrassment he was grinning from ear to ear at them. Wanting to kick herself for kissing Zelos so randomly, she mumbled pathetically, "We're... um... We're done... Er... B-Besides, we couldn't keep you waiting..."

"That's good, as I suppose you have many questions you need answered." Hector nodded in understanding, and though he knew he should have become serious, he still couldn't stop smiling. The blond's embarrassment reminded him much of his wife, and the thought made him all the more fonder of the angel who had beat him so soundly in the coliseum. He had already decided to help her and her comrades in any way possible, and it showed as his eyes glittered fiercely in the faint firelight of the torches on the city wall, "So ask away, my friends. I will give you all of my knowledge."

* * *

**Iselia Outskirts**

**Evening**

In the distance Lloyd watched as the full moon overheard peeked out almost shyly from behind the tall temple that had been the start of his journey almost three years ago. He was surprised by the lack of nostalgia the sight should've brought him, instead all he felt was a strange numbness. The temple, where he, Colette and Genis had travelled to so long ago still stood so proudly amongst the hills but no longer did he think of it as majestic. His journey, his adolescence, had started there, and for an odd reason he'd made himself return to it as his latest chapter came to a close.

Instinctively he reached up to touch Corrine's bell around his neck, only for his fingers to reach empty air. Laughing a little as himself, he wondered if the trinket had been handed to Sheena yet, along with the simple message requesting she come to the temple to meet him in a handful of days. He wasn't even sure if she would come, but still he'd dragged himself from Asgard to his hometown, hoping...

Running a tired hand through his messy hair, he glanced down at the riverside that he walked along. The torch in his left hand let him see his reflection clearly, and a weak smile pulled at his lips at the familiar youth that returned his stare. He'd removed the Desian garb Tasogare had cruelly dressed him in, and after a quick and invisible stop at Dirk's, had dressed himself once more as he was used to. He'd been a bit surprised when the clothes he'd stolen hadn't fit him as they used to, and he'd been forced to combine bits and pieces of his former outfit to his regular one.

Now he donned dark pants with the lamellar leather guarding, and his usual red jacket that he wore undone, revealing the navy vest inlaid with chainmail that had served him well during his journeying. He was glad that his gloves and boots still managed to fit, but he was a bit annoyed that he'd grown too tall and broad for his regular suspenders and shirt. When he stared down at his reflection, he wondered when he'd really grown from a teenager to a young man. Laughingly, he ran a hand over his chin and remarked quietly to himself as he enjoyed a moment of levity, "Next thing you know I'm gonna be growing a beard... Gross."

His smile faded away though as his thoughts flashed to his father, and he glanced up silently at the stars above as if he could pick out Derris Kharlan from among them. When he noted his reflection, it was impossible to deny the fact that he was growing into a man like Kratos had been. He was nearly as tall as the angel had been when they'd first met now, and though he was still slighter, he could see the shadow of his father's build in his hardening muscles. Sheena had even remarked on it, with a little laugh when she'd fixed up a tear in his shirt a few weeks before their capture.

"_You ought to think about getting Dirk to make you some bigger clothes, Lloyd." Sheena glanced up playfully from the shirt she had resting in her lap as she absently pulled at the needle she had been threading through the new hole in the seam. When she saw his disbelieving stare, she laughed and held up the shirt as she asked rhetorically, "These are getting small, don't you think?"_

_Shaking his head firmly in denial, Lloyd gestured to the white undershirt he wore and his pants and proclaimed stubbornly,"No way! They fit fine!" He then crossed his arms, determined that she was simply imagining things. He liked his outfit, and had no desire to change it into something else. Red was his favourite colour after all. "I don't need new clothes!"_

"_I didn't say you had to change the way they looked, idiot, just that you need something bigger. You're getting tall. How did Raine put it... Ah yeah, you're growing like a weed." Sheena shook his head with exasperation, and tried her best not to laugh at him. As much as he _had_ grown, he was still young in many other ways. She returned to her sewing, glad that she'd had enough practise patching and mending her own clothes that she could easily fix Lloyd's when the need arose. Her laughter faded a little bit as she mused softly, "I'm pretty sure you and Kratos would be the same height now, or at least really close."_

_This struck Lloyd completely, and he glanced down at himself in surprise. He turned a circle, trying to catch a glimpse of himself at every angle. He wished they'd camped out by the river so he would have a chance to see his reflection, but they'd pitched their tent in the woods instead by Heimdall. He licked his lower lip thoughtfully as he glanced down at his pants one more time and asked, "Y... You think so?"_

"_Yeah." Sheena answered positively, and then she looked up again from her work when she noticed him turning yet another circle. Distracted, Sheena poked herself with the needle and cursed a little as she immediately dropped the offending object. Raising her finger to her mouth she sucked at the wound, feeling her annoyance fading to be replaced by genuine amusement at Lloyd's fascination with the comparison. She tried her best to stifle her laughter, but it was a losing venture but she tried anyway to admonish him, "And stop looking at yourself like that, it's weird. You're reminding me of Zelos."_

"_I'm not a narcissist!" Lloyd objected at once, but his heated words and expression only succeeded in making his companion laugh all the harder at him. She had forgotten her work completely and was holding her stomach with one hand while she placed the other over her mouth to try and muffle the noise. He wanted to be indignant, but when she was laughing so hard at him and with such honest emotion he couldn't do it. His chuckles joined in with hers, and he flopped down into an easy sitting position by her side. "Fine," he admitted with a low snort, "I am a bit interested to see if I've gotten bigger, but I don't feel like it."_

"_Well of course you don't. No one ever really notices their own growth." Sheena laughed again, but more softly this time. She picked up the fallen needle again and resumed her work. "Everybody else has though. Didn't Regal say a few weeks ago that you'd gotten taller? I'm telling you, get some new clothes next time we're close to Iselia. I'm sure Dirk has something new for you by now."_

"_Fine, fine, I'll see if Dad has anything next time..." Lloyd raised his hands in defeat, eliciting yet one more laugh from his dark-haired friend. He shook his head at her amusement, and flopped backwards into the grass as he sighed, "You win, as always."_

"_Of course I do." Sheena smiled smugly as she pulled the thread taut and tied the knot firmly to make sure her work would stay. She'd double-stitched the hole in an attempt to keep it longer, especially considering it was the third time she'd had to fix his clothes for him. Putting away her needle and thread, she tossed the shirt onto his face and commanded with great amusement, "And another thing, start looking where you're going so I don't need to keep on repairing your shirt!"_

"_Hey!"_

The temple was growing larger as he approached it, and Lloyd shook his head to banish the memory of chasing his friend through the forest in an attempt to repay her for the blow to his pride. It was a good thought that he wanted to keep closer to him, but there would be time for it later. Lloyd could see the hints of a fire burning at the church that made its home at the base of the temple, and he wondered how difficult it would be for him to sneak inside.

He knew once he was in the dungeon that it would be easy to disappear until Sheena arrived, but he didn't relish having to go in. Part of him wanted to remain in the forest, or better yet return home to see Noishe and his father... However he knew better. Just returning there to grab a few articles of clothing had been risky, and he'd been lucky that the protozoan and Dirk had been absent at that time. He wouldn't put either of them at risk, not until he could have his name cleared and told his friends the truth.

As he eyed the tall temple where everything had started, Lloyd felt a tiny pang in his heart as he thought of the Summon Spirit who made its home there. He wished weakly that he had the bell again, if only to provide him comfort and give him a chance to speak to Verius.

Letting out a breath, he muttered an age-old proverb that he remembered hearing from Kratos once during their journey as he picked himself up and kept on walking towards his destination, "If wishes were horses even beggars would ride..."

**AN:**

**Fluff! ... Okay, bittersweet fluff but by Martel it's fluff and I loved writing it. Mind you, I can see why it may not to be anyone's tastes... but I tried. It was exceptionally hard to capture Colette, and though I don't think I did an awesome job, I was pleased with my accomplishment. Time will tell though if I'm writing her right... and Zelos. He is so hard to write sometimes, I just want to kick myself for ever thinking I could do it properly. Still, as I said before... Fluff. It makes everyone feel better, or at least me.**

**And Tasogare. If I could punt any character of mine through a window, it'd be Tasogare, without a doubt. With Auin following right after, and then probably Selena's ex-boyfriend from my Summer Wars roleplay... I'm getting off tangent. Yeah, so I had to end this chapter short, when I initially planned to have Hector's Q&A in this one... Unfortunately it didn't fit with what I wanted, so next week's will cover it. By the by, any questions anyone is particularly interested in hearing answered by Hector...? Heheheh. Maybe if you tell me, I'll cover them for you!**

**As for Lloyd... -glomps- I love my Lloyd. Of course, I love him most with Sheena, and it makes me happy to write some memory scenes, even if they're little and kinda dumb... and I have no idea why I had Sheena sewing, but I imagine she had to mend and patch her own clothing quite a few times on her hunt for the Chosen, so... it's a skill I imagined she had? Awesome housewife FTW! -hit with a frying pan- Shutting up. XD**

**Mood: Intensely Amused**

**Listening to: "Let Down" - Bif Naked**

**~ Sky**


	26. Shedding The Shadows

**Outskirts of Meltokio**

**Midnight**

The light of the torch was faint, providing an odd atmosphere for the trio as they sat huddled under the cover of the night. Zelos was leaning back against the wall, his arm wrapped firmly around Colette's shoulders as the two faced their storyteller, who had declined the offer to sit. He stood facing them, arms crossed over his waist as he paced up and down a short ten-step path he'd worn in the grass. No information had been passed just yet, leaving them in the midst of an awkward silence that no one was entirely sure how to break.

It was Colette who finally spoke, her voice no louder that the crackling embers overhead when she murmured, "Kuchinawa sent us to you. He said you would be the best person to approach for information about the Desians. Mizuho and the Renegades can't seem to get any information, and we don't have any leads. Kuchinawa told us you were a turncoat. Can you tell us how long ago you left their forces?"

Hector was unsurprised by their lead, and he chuckled inwardly at the thought of the crimson-garbed ninja who had put them through the coliseum challenge. He would have likely spoken to them regardless of their fighting strength, but he guessed that Kuchinawa wanted to prove their worth to him. He was amused by the antic, but decided it was best not to bring it up. Instead, he glanced down at the silver band adorning his left hand, and sighed as he answered her, "What you were told is correct. I originally served Cruxis, then the Renegades, while selling my knowledge to the Mizuho network in exchange for clemency in Meltokio for myself and my family. However, I have been out of contact with the Renegades and Cruxis for nearly two hundred years."

Zelos let out a whistle at the risky game Hector played, and he shook his head slightly as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He appraised the dark-garbed knight with new respect as he remarked, "You played all the angles, huh? Mizuho would bargain with the king to grant you sanctuary in the city as long as you kept giving them all the information you got from the Renegades. And they'd probably know if you were conning them seeing as Mizuho would have a mole inside anyway, just to make sure. Brilliant spy work, I gotta say..."

"But why sell Mizuho information?" Colette piped up with a little frown as the thought of the Renegade leader who had never stepped a foot wrong when it came to protecting his men. "Wouldn't Yuan keep you safe?"

"I betrayed the Renegades, just as I betrayed Cruxis, which caused me to flee Sylvarant and turn to Tethe'alla instead." Hector explained without a hint of guilt for his treachery, and his arms tightened just a fraction over his chest when his eyes burned with a dark fire. He could sense the unease from the angels he was facing, but he didn't deny his nature. He'd long ago come to terms with himself. "The Renegades only recently called off the hunt for my blood, while Cruxis believes me dead. I cut my ties to them, but even so I keep my ears to the ground. I live a dangerous life."

Colette's eyes narrowed slightly as the thought of the fragile lavender-haired woman and their bubbly child entered her mind. She could tell Hector valued their lives above everything and anything in the world, and she couldn't fault him for it. She also knew without really knowing that it was because of them that he lived the life he did now. She let out a soft breath, speaking without meaning to, "I knew you were like Kratos..."

Hector's eyebrows raised as Zelos looked to her in surprise, and he shook his head as he corrected her, "No. I had a kinder hand dealt to me than Aurion."

"You must be old, if you know Kratos' story." Zelos remarked with a raised eyebrow, and Hector merely nodded in affirmation. His eyes narrowed slightly and all sense of levity faded from his face as he continued in a serious voice, "And you said you left the Renegades roughly two hundred years ago, too... So, you should know about the two who are currently working the Desians now. They can't have popped up out of nowhere. We need to know about Tasogare and Auin."

Hector blinked once, seeming to be honestly caught off guard for a moment at the names. He shook his head, and then with an age that didn't match his body, he slumped down into a seated position in the grass. He ran a gloved hand tiredly over his face, smoothing out his rumpled hair before he mused, "So, it's come to this...? Mere children? I would prefer to say I'm unsurprised... but they both did show promise as soldiers, even if they wouldn't be my prime candidates."

"So you _do_ know them?" Colette questioned hastily, and she felt the excitement rising between herself and Zelos at the news. After so much time being in the dark, the prospect of getting ahead of their enemy left them both breathless with anticipation. "Who are they? Do you know anything about them at all?"

"Yes, I do know them... as for their backgrounds, I'm afraid I can't give you more than the little I know... but I suppose even a little bit is enough, isn't it?" Hector didn't wait for their answer, and he closed his eyes tightly as he went back in his memory to the point where he'd first met the two of them.

It had been a strange thing for him, even at the age of a thousand when he'd been shown the recruits that had bypassed the ranks of Desians entirely to be brought directly into Cruxis. He started there, not wanting to leave out anything for the two angels in front of him, "The two were from Tethe'alla, Ozette born. They were half-elves, and had started a minor rebellion with other half-elves to wipe out their families in an effort to assert superiority. The two siblings managed to scar the village to the point where the memory of their actions still remained in the form of half-elf intolerance centuries later."

"Siblings?" Colette echoed curiously, startled. She couldn't imagine any sibling having such a furious hatred for another, and she knew for a fact that Tasogare and the one called Auin were the most bitter of enemies. Presea and Kuchinawa had both attested to it, and she wouldn't doubt either of them. She shook her head, puzzled as she questioned, "But why are they at odds like they are if they're brother and sister?"

"I'm afraid I don't know that." Hector shook his head with resignation, inwardly chastising himself for never paying much attention to the youths. Tasogare was a brilliant young mind and an obedient soldier, but he hadn't cared for her. Auin was a bloodthirsty warrior with an imaginative mind for victory, but again, Hector hadn't favoured him. They were just new recruits, strangely brought on, but still more faces he didn't want to know. He scratched absently at nearly healed wound on his chin as he mused, "At first when they were both let into the ranks, I assumed perhaps it was some sort of petty rivalry. Both seemed eager to outdo the other in anything they did, and for awhile that was all they worked at... Then Yggdrasil discovered they had a distant relation to the Chosen of that generation."

Zelos stiffened instantly as several pieces of the puzzle fell perfectly into place with that one comment. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head as he growled out loud, "That's why she asked for the Mana Leaf Herb when she had Virginia hostage. She had the same disease Martel had, the same one you had, Colette. She was a Chosen."

Colette was vaguely aware of bile rising in her throat at the mere idea of the strange honey-eyed angel as a Chosen, but it was eclipsed by the equally strange feeling of kinship that surged in her heart. It was the same feeling she'd had when she'd really met Zelos, of meeting someone who knew the responsibilities of her position. Tasogare didn't fit any of the ideals that Colette thought of when she imagined a Chosen, but then again, she didn't consider herself Chosen-like either. She looked up to Hector, wanting an answer, "Was she a Chosen?"

"I guess you could say she was, but then again she really wasn't." Hector hedged, unsure of how to sufficiently answer such a question. He continued to itch at the fading cut he'd received in the coliseum, wanting to distract himself as he thought of how to properly word his response to her. Finally he just let out a sigh and replied brusquely, "A Chosen, to Yggdrasil, was just another means to an end. That end, as you know, was to revive Martel by placing her consciousness in the body of a person who held a close enough mana signature to her. However, a Chosen also is someone revered by the people of whichever world they were in at the time with significant political and monetary influence, depending of course if the world was flourishing or waning. Tasogare only fit the former definition, as her relation to that lineage was shaky at best. Her mother was the Chosen's cousin, but the relation was close enough that Yggdrasil felt it prudent to put Tasogare through the trials."

"Which she failed." Zelos finished with a knowing nod. Martel hadn't been resurrected in Tasogare's body, but he was a bit confused to why Yggdrasil would allow a failure to live, especially when she was infected with such a deadly disease. That however added yet another question, and Zelos asked it promptly, "Why is she still alive if she failed the trials? Plus, why is she still suffering from the toxicosis? Couldn't she have been treated with a Rune Crest like Colette and Martel were?"

"She was meant to be given one, however she was late in her trial when the toxicosis came upon her." Hector shook his head and for the briefest moment, something akin to sympathy glittered in his eyes. He folded his hands under his chin, his voice low and quiet as he explained, "Yggdrasil was furious over the failure of the recent Chosen, and was confident that Tasogare's mana signature was a close enough match to Martel to make for a successful revival. He believed that the onset of the infection was just one more sign that he was correct, and so he pushed her forward without treating her. By the time the revival had taken place and Martel failed to take hold..."

"The infection was too far gone, and the Rune Crest couldn't contain it properly." Colette whispered, and she found her eyes tearing up as she felt the agony the brunette angel must have lived with as she suffered underneath the disease. Colette could well remember the pain, the creeping fire and ice that the growing scales from her Cruxis Crystal had burned into her flesh. She had been lucky that only her shoulder and part of her chest had been affected, and though she still bore the faintest scarring from the infection... She couldn't imagine how much more painful it would be to be far into the infection and be without a cure. "That's so terrible..."

"She was a good soldier, and perhaps that was what made Yggdrasil spare her when Martel didn't take to her body." Hector shrugged a little, looking uncomfortable with Colette's sympathetic pain. Zelos too didn't seem pleased with the emotional response, but he was keeping a leash on his words which pleased and bothered Hector. He continued on, not wanting to stop on the thought, "Regardless of why she was kept alive, she was treated with the Rune Crest, given an ample amount of Mana Leaf Herb to continue treating herself, and continued her active service. Auin was displeased with what he considered favouritism, and called loudly for her to be killed like all of the other failures. He was silenced quickly, but... the seeds of their angry relationship had been sown. If they were rivals then, they were bitter enemies afterwards."

"Jealousy taken to its extreme." Zelos muttered with a disgruntled scowl and clench of his fists. The information only proved what they had assumed about the unrest in the factions underneath Tasogare and Auin, but he wasn't sure how it would really help them. Tasogare's movements were odd and unpredictable, but at least he knew that Auin likely wouldn't be the one they wanted to side with if they chose to side with either sibling at all in an attempt to usurp the Desian army. "After that I guess they really started trying to take each other out... and they've been at it ever since?"

"As far as I can recall, yes. However my interest in them was gone after the failed revival. I must admit I didn't care for either of the two at all." Hector smiled almost sheepishly, as if embarrassed to admit he was uninterested. Truly he wished he'd paid more attention if he had known they would come back to be such fixtures in the future, but he had never assumed someone like them would be more than a simple annoyance. "Auin was a lout with a flair for dramatics and violence, and Tasogare was a cold and arrogant young woman who treated everyone about her as dirt. Of course, they were at home with the idiots who called themselves superior beings, but you understand what I mean. They were just more soldiers under my command, and at that time I had no love for any of my men."

"You left Cruxis shortly after they joined, eh?"

Hector smiled weakly, but nodded at the accurate guess. He settled into an easier posture, resting his hands behind him as he looked up to the sky and remembered his youth as a Cruxis soldier in the throes of disillusion with what he'd thought was once a grand cause. "I was confused and bitter... It was true I felt cheated as a half-elf, but that feeling did not translate easily to hatred or superiority. I did want things to change... but not by violence. It was then that I was approached by Yuan, and offered a way to change and bring down Cruxis in the process. I was gleeful for the opportunity... but in short order, I was just as quickly awakened to the reality that they were not as great as I thought either. I could not condone the murder of Chosens simply because Yggdrasil was using them."

Colette's eyes narrowed slightly as she sensed he wasn't telling the entire truth. She believed he had become fed up with both Cruxis and the Renegades, but the reasoning wasn't entirely there. She leaned forward, and before she could stop herself from asking the question she had no right to ask she was speaking, "But that isn't why you left the Renegades. There was some other reason, wasn't there?"

Zelos glanced at her in surprise at the uncharacteristic prying, and Colette's face immediately burned crimson at her words. She raised her hands over her mouth and shook her head, wanting to apologize just as much as she wanted the real answer. She parted her lips, ready to scramble for forgiveness but to her intense shock, Hector burst out laughing instead of growing angry. His entire body shook with his mirth, and he had to cover his face with one hand as tears sprung to his dark eyes in his fit of laughter.

It took a few minutes for him to calm down, but once he did he looked square at Colette with a gaze of fondness. The blond squeaked a little and reddened even more, but the look of tenderness didn't escape Hector's eyes. He shook his head, still grinning as he explained with a hint of a chuckle, "You remind me much of my wife, Florina. I think you two would have gotten along well, had you met her properly." His laughter faded slightly, turning to seriousness as he answered her honestly now, "But it is true, I did not leave the Renegades simply because of a disagreement of methods. I left because I met the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in the midst of her quest to regenerate the world."

"Your wife was a Chosen!" Colette exclaimed in complete and utter horror as the full weight of what Hector had done when he left the Renegades crashed down on her. She realized that her assumption of his being much like Kratos hadn't been that far off, even though Hector had done something similar many years before Kratos had. "How did you...? How is she...?"

"Still alive?" Hector chuckled a bit at the question that Colette was floundering for, and he smiled slightly as he explained for her confusion, "Much like me, she used the Cruxis Crystal she was given upon completing the ritual to halt her growth." He nodded to Zelos, who was staring at him with an unfathomable expression while Colette glanced down at the Cruxis Crystal located just beneath the hallow of her throat at his words, "Yourself and your companion could do the same if you wished to with some practise and the proper instruction. It is not all that different from the crystals myself and many other angels were equipped with."

For a moment Zelos wasn't sure who was more shocked by that thought, himself or Colette. The blond angel was regarding her Cruxis Crystal as if she had never seen it before, and even Zelos had to glance at his hand to fully digest the words Hector was speaking. He'd never even once given thought to the powers of his crystal, that he could do the same as Kratos or Yggdrasil could if he wanted to. Immortality wasn't just a wish he could have on an errant day, it was actually within his grasp if he wanted it. "That's..."

Hector's eyes grew stormy as he if he could read the thoughts of shock going through the two angels before him. All sense of laughter and levity faded from him as he leaned forward and spoke with a firm seriousness coating each and every one of his words, "You must know the pain that comes with leaving behind time. I watched my brothers and sisters wither and die behind me, though they were half-elves like myself. My wife has seen all of her family pass on from this world to the next because of her decision, and she forever has blamed herself for it. I was cursed with the blood of a half-elf, and would outlive her for many years because of it, and she refused to leave me behind. So she chose to halt her time and remain with me... but when we had our daughter, we came to a decision. Florina did away with her crystal, while I still use mine, but much differently now."

Colette's eyes widened as she understood immediately what he was doing, and a feeling of sickness curled into her stomach. It explained why his wounds from that afternoon had healed, and why his growth of a beard seemed to have come in more quickly than she'd originally assumed. He wasn't halting his growth or slowing it anymore, he was doing the exact opposite. "You're speeding up time, aren't you? So you can age like a human would."

"So you can die with her." Zelos whispered so softly it was almost as if he hadn't spoken. He had never thought that such a power as to halt aging would ever be used in reverse, but he understood the logic behind it. Hector loved his family, and he wouldn't survive without them. So instead of letting his body run its natural course and leaving him alive years after his family had died... He was shortening his life so he could die with them. "You..."

"I love my wife." Hector said with a simple shrug, and there was no remorse or regret to him when he spoke the truth. He had long ago decided what he would do when he'd discovered Florina pregnant, and he'd come to terms with the fate he'd chosen for himself. He watched the two staring at him with newfound respect, and tried his best not to smile at them as he replied softly, "There are many things, both illogical and relatively foolish that a person will do for love. Maybe it will not make sense to others, and it may even anger some... but as long as _you_ know what you are doing... and as long as _you_ feel it is right... That is all that matters."

Colette knew he wasn't talking about himself anymore, and her face began to redden at once as she suddenly felt Zelos' hand on top of hers. He intertwined his fingers with hers, leaving her heart fluttering like a hummingbird's wings as she became short of breath. She didn't dare look at him with Hector watching them so, but she squeezed Zelos' hand firmly as she nodded her head solemnly. Love didn't make a lot of sense, and she knew a lot of what she did wasn't exactly the logical way to behave... but when Zelos held her hand like he did and sat so close at her side... She didn't really care. She was in love, and that was all that mattered to her.

* * *

**Latheon Gorge**

**Late Night**

The ground was stained with blood that was as black as the night that surrounded the two combatants, but even breathless and wounded, the male of the two refused to yield. Razor-sharp daggers rent cloth and flesh with every swipe, and each blow was met with iron-clad fists that could shatter armour and bone whenever it made contact. Their breath misted in the unnaturally cool air, hot with their exertion and battle as they parted for a brief moment. The slighter of the two had leapt atop a fallen boulder, seemingly unwounded while the other had his left arm dangling useless at his side.

Growling, he made to advance upon her only to be stopped when she called out sharply, "Enough! I have no desire to kill you, but if you push your luck any further I will not be responsible for what I do next. Lower your hands or I will remove them for you."

The taller man laughed hoarsely, his grassland eyes flickering with hatred for the cloaked angel who had sent his brother to his untimely death. He slowly shook his head from side to side, raising his good arm and cocking back the fist decorated with glowing iron knuckles. His voice was rough with adrenalin and pain as he snapped back in return, "No desire to kill me? Does that make me one of your pawns, _milady_? Like Dvalinn? I see how well you treat those in your care. I've no desire to be your puppet to dance for your pleasure."

"Yet while your brothers chase the Heroes, you've tracked me here." Tasogare replied with something approaching a sneer at the bold denial. She didn't shift into a battle position, but called out instead with dark sort of humour, "You may not be dancing to _my _tune, but you certainly are performing for someone. Tell me, did my dear brother send you after me? Or maybe it was Yggdrasil, demanding my head for losing sight of Irving? Whomever it was, I'm sure you didn't decide on your own to come after me. Turn around, find the real murderer of your brother if you are that adamant to cut your strings."

"I have found the real murderer." Duraþròr answered without acknowledging her correct guess. Auin had indeed pushed him into pursuing the traitor, but he would have gone after her regardless. He knew she had led his brother into dying for her, so she could flee the Temple of Lightning instead of standing her ground and laying waste to the two Chosen and ninja of Mizuho she should have killed months ago. "I will kill you and exact part of the revenge my brothers and I are seeking."

"You lack the skill. You will join Dvalinn in his grave, and leave your brothers with one more to mourn." Tasogare replied in a matter-of-fact tone that belied her warning for him to leave her be. Her golden eyes were molten as she continued in that same and flat voice, "You know this as well as I do. Even near death, I still would be able to lay waste to you. I will warn you once more to leave me. I will not give you a third chance. It is your blood that stains the ground, not mine."

Duraþròr knew she was right at that, but he was past caring about his physical wounds. He had been advised to sneak up on her and end her before she could fight back, but he was a warrior. He would duel her fairly, as his brother's memory deserved, even if it meant his own death. She had merely been parrying him up until now, buying herself time while slowly but surely exhausting and injuring him. If she decided to kill him, he would have no hope in surviving.

Still, he raised his good arm up and spat at the ground in response to her offer. He would not be a coward and flee like she had. His blood meant nothing if he didn't honour his brother. It was the oath they'd all sworn together as mercenaries many centuries ago, and he'd uphold it to the netherworld. "I will need no third offer, Tasogare. I will have your head."

"You are a fool, then." Tasogare stated with a dark scowl, and to his surprise, she sheathed her daggers inside of her cloak. Her golden eyes had turned to chips of ice, and she placed her hand calmly on the sheathe of her sword and gripped it tight without drawing the blade. "I will do you the honour of killing you at my full strength, but that is the only mercy you will receive from me. Whatever pain you feel was brought down by your own hand."

Duraþròr felt no fear, despite the warning alarm that told him to turn and flee as she flexed her arm in preparation to draw the sword that had always left every soldier who saw it whispering. He knew the rumours, knew the obscure legend that supposedly surrounded the blade, but he didn't care. She would come at him, and he would fight her and die trying to reclaim the dignity she'd taken from him and his family. It was his way. He clenched his fists, and with a snarl he challenged her, "Come at me, you traitorous bitch!"

With a click so soft it couldn't be heard over their breathing, Tasogare freed her sword from its confines with one effortless tug. The shimmering blade seemed to laugh as it was exposed to the night air, and gently, almost like a heartbeat, it pulsed within her hand. Light radiated from the reflected surface giving no clue to the blade's true colour, but it was surrounded by a pulsing red miasma that engulfed the hand that carried it until it seemed to envelop the angel entirely. Tasogare's eyes grew dull, and robotically her other hand moved to grab a hold of the blade's handle and steady it. Her voice rang out, but it was no longer hers when it whispered in an eerie and murderous chuckle, "You should have ran."

In a movement too fast to be caught by Duraþròr's eyes, she was gone from the boulder and seemingly materialized before him. He had no chance to move, and she took a single step backwards, bringing her sword level with her shoulder as she sank down into a crouch. Then her foot moved forward, and turning her body she thrust the blade into his unprotected chest.

An anguished bellow escaped the fatally wounded angel, but he struck back even as he felt his strength fading away and his consciousness slipping. His iron-knuckled fist slammed with all the force he had into Tasogare's chest, but the blow barely seemed to register. She held her blade where it was, and knelt down with him when his legs refused to keep him upright. He fell onto his back, guided by the sword that pierced him through and could only stare numbly up into the eyes of the angel who seemed possessed.

The cursed sword pulsed quicker now, like a heartbeat picking up speed in response to a flow of adrenalin. It flashed crimson as Duraþròr shuddered in agony and reached vainly to dislodge the steel puncturing his heart. Out of hallow eyes she watched as his hands failed to even reach the sword, and in the depths of her throat that ghostly chuckle came again. Abruptly she slammed all of her weight on the blade, sending the keen edge slicing upwards and through his heart in a quick and merciless move. Duraþròr's cry of agony ended before it could begin, and with one last shake he fell back limp against the ground and moved no more.

There was a long moment as Tasogare knelt beside the body, keeping her sword where it was. The pulsing of the red haze grew quicker and quicker before stopping altogether in a dull flash. The miasma disappeared with the pulse, and with it returned the flicker of life to Tasogare's eyes. She let them close for another beat, before pushing herself to her feet and releasing her grip on the instrument of death.

Tasogare gazed down at the prone body of her opponent, meeting the unseeing stare of the former mercenary. Her stare hardened with anger as she took in the oozing line her sword had drawn in the angel's chest before stopping at the blade that remained buried within him. Without a sound she took her blade from his chest and then wiped it clean on the patch of grass that cushioned the corpse. When she was sure it was clean, she slid it back into its sheathe with a near-silent click.

Again she knelt, and with a hand that could almost be described as gentle, reached over to close the still staring eyes. She bowed her head for a moment, and murmured to the soft breeze that fluttered her hair, "May whatever god or goddess you prayed to take you quickly to where you belong."

When she stood once more, she paused as she realized the voice of her blade had quieted. She let out a dark laugh, a bitter one as she noted it was finally sated after months of screaming and protest. She would be able to control herself once more without too much effort when her temper flared. Her eyes were drawn to the ancient scabbard that hid the cursed weapon, and she asked to it sarcastically, "Has the blood quenched your thirst, Tyrfing?"

Even as she spoke, she didn't expect an answer. The curse of the sword had no manifestation of consciousness to reply, but the malevolence of the dwarfs, of the smiths slaughtered to make it, seemed to snap at her voice. She turned her back on the corpse it had left behind, feeling a twinge inside her chest in a tiny spark of guilt for his death. More needless deaths that she couldn't prevent.

"_You will leave miles of corpses behind you in a vain attempt to kill a single man."_

_Without hesitation, she met those cataract-glazed eyes and spoke the words she had been prepared to say when she had learned of the right of initiation. Her heart was cold to empathy, to any type of emotion as a hundred men died and cursed their fates at her hand within her head. They didn't matter to her. None of them. "I do so willingly."_

"_You will forfeit your soul."_

_A pittance to claim the life of the one who'd torn her home asunder. Though he could not see her, she felt her eyes sharpen as she continued the ritual and the words that would bind her to the blade as the blade bound itself to her,"Again, I do so without regret."_

"_You will never again see your family, who have all gone on to their final rest."_

_For a brief instant, she stumbled. It was the one thing she hated to think of, to be denied seeing her family once her own death was assured. However she couldn't let their murderer live, even if it meant condemning herself. She took a breath, steeling the last remains of her heart for the fire she would soon burn it in as she answered, "I understand."_

"_Then I will ask you once more, as is my duty as the sword's keeper. You truly are willing to die for this campaign of yours?"_

_This she didn't care for. Her life had ended that night when she'd slipped and fell on the pools of crimson blood that had soaked her home, her feet and clothes when she sat there in a terrified stupor. They were gone, and with them she had gone though her body still breathed. Her hands clenched tight, her fingernails puncturing the skin of her palms as she spoke the truth,"I was dead the moment their last breaths were robbed from them."_

"_Very well. Take the blade, take the curse, and die as it demands of you."_

A strained sigh escaped her lips, and she looked up to the darkened night sky that was peppered with stars. The constellations did not glow as they used to, as if shunning her of their brilliance for the blood upon her hands. She shook her head, casting away the guilt she felt and the anger at being used by the blade once more. It didn't matter how many she killed in her quest, who she used or what she broke. Her death was assured anyway, and if she could reach her goal, that was all that really had importance.

She glared up at the sky, at the black velvet night that was so much like that cursed time when she'd come home just too late... Her voice punctured the silence, heavy with controlled fury and determination as she repeated the vow she'd uttered so many times before, "For them, Auin... I will kill you, and every single man, woman or beast you send to stop me."

* * *

**Meltokio**

**Zelos' Manse**

**Late Night**

Sheena closed her eyes as she inhaled a deep breath of the cool night air, and in the same movement her body slumped against the staircase she had hidden herself next to. The porch was too open for her, and so she'd slunk down into the grass to relax when sleep had evaded her hours earlier. The brisk autumn night had invited her outside, and seeking silence and fresh air she had taken the offer.

'I wonder when Zelos and Colette will be back...' She turned her gaze to the sky, seeking the sight of the stars. It was a futile effort as the cloudy night refused to let the velvet black sky be seen, and with a sigh of defeat Sheena wrapped her arms about her knees. The two's odd problems in the past week had caused everyone a lot of worry, though no one was entirely sure what had caused it. Seles refused to speak about it, preferring to spend her time with Noishe. The two had taken greatly to each other much to Sheena's amusement, and Seles had already petitioned her brother to allow Noishe to stay in the mansion when they left to travel again.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Sheena turned as she heard the familiar whining at the top of the porch. She ambled to her feet, smiling automatically at the sight of the protozoan at the top of the stairway. He was gazing down at her with lifted ears and a happy glint in his eyes, and when she laughed his tail began to wag. His fur had been combed clean, and though it had yet to begin shining as it used to, the ancient beast did look much healthier. He took the stairs gingerly, still favouring his back leg as he joined her in the grass.

Noishe whined softly as he lay his great head in her lap when she sat back down, and she brushed her bandaged hand lovingly through his fur. He nuzzled against her stomach, his tail rhythmically thumping against the ground in pleasure. His intelligent eyes fixed on her hand, and he angled his head before licking her fingers. He had made a habit of doing that whenever he saw her, and Sheena knew it was his apology for attacking her.

"How many times do I need to tell you that it's okay?" Sheena scolded him softly, but she didn't try to stop him. Since he'd been found, the protozoan had dutifully patrolled the halls of the manse where they made their vacation home. Without fail every morning, Sheena would find him curled up beside her bed, having been guarding her while she slept. Despite their attempts to make sure he slept somewhere comfortable and stayed off of his injured leg, he'd be at it again and eventually Raine had simply stopped trying. Sheena mused it was his sense of loyalty that made him keep at it, as his stint in the wilderness had probably scared and scarred him.

She kept her eyes trained on the cloudy night above, wondering absently what sort of answers the two angels would return with. Everyone was putting their hopes in the strange coliseum entrant and his knowledge, and Sheena admitted to being one of them. She was tired of fighting blind, and was eager to have an advantage again.

'And I want to know... Why Lloyd is with them...' The thought crept into her brain despite her every effort to quash it, and the pain that followed in her chest was crippling. She raised a hand to her heart, as if trying to keep it inside of her ribs and grimaced at her body's reaction to the memory of the betrayal. She had thought she'd kept a tightly shut lid on her emotions, but without fail her heart didn't seem to agree. 'I think I'm just destined to be the stupid girl who keeps on tripping up for the rest of my life... For once I'd like to see something through to the end without screwing up in one way or another.'

A low growling from the creature in her lap jolted her from her thoughts, and Sheena felt her body coil as Noishe glared out into the darkness of the alleyway. Slowly he ambled to his feet, his teeth glinting white in the shadow as he continued to voice the warning that there was danger nearby. Trusting him implicitly, Sheena reached into her sleeves to grasp one of her battle cards as he stood at the protozoan's side to do battle with him.

He sank into a crouch and his ears lay flat against his head as he pointed his entire body like an arrow in the direction of the darkest alley. His hackles raised as he bared his teeth, but Sheena rested a gentle, reproachful, hand on the back of his neck. His muscles remained coiled but he did relax ever so slightly at her touch even if he continued to growl in warning to the figure he'd scented ghosting in the shadows.

Eyes narrowing, Sheena debated on venturing out to catch the ghost unawares on her own but when she felt Noishe's fur bristling again she decided against it. The protozoan may have retained his gentleness around his friends, but the experience in the wild had turned part of his heart brutal. She didn't doubt he'd spring for the throat of whoever dared to harm her or any of his loved ones, and she refused to have him in that position again.

Her voice was low as she carefully knelt at his side, wrapping a protective but restraining arm about his wide neck, "Calm down, Noishe." His ear flicked, brushing against her cheek in response to her words, but his growling refused to cease. She sighed but kept her hold on him, and turned her gaze to the dark alleyway that the houses of the nobles eclipsed. A faint stirring of a shadow among a shadow warned her that the stranger was closer than she'd have preferred, but she kept herself squatting beside Noishe to soothe his anxiety.

With an arm pressing warningly against Noishe's side, Sheena carefully fingered the sharp edge of her card as she called out firmly into the silent night, "You better come out instead of skulking around. I can't hold him back forever, and if you want something twice the size of a wolf coming at you, be my guest. If he doesn't kill you, I certainly will."

A little chuckle followed her promise, and from the darkness seemingly materialized an ebony-armoured soldier. Sheena recognized the Desian-esque attire at once, and she relaxed slightly as she recognized one of the many Renegade soldiers who had been trading information with the ninja of Mizuho. His voice was polite as he bowed his head in her direction, and from under his helm Sheena caught a glimpse of friendly ice-coloured eyes, "I apologize for the secrecy, Sheena of Mizuho, but the package I carry for you required the utmost of subtlety. It has travelled far and quickly from Asgard to reach your hands, and I will not incur the wrath of the sender by undermining his strict orders."

Though part of her was rubbed the wrong way by his light delivery, the other was too greatly intrigued to make a sour note. She couldn't think of anyone in Asgard who would need to give her something right away and in such privacy, and so she straightened smoothly and approached him with more ease. Noishe followed her every step, attached at her hand, and though he'd stopped growling his fur remained on end and his teeth still bared in case the stranger made any sudden movements. "A package? What sort of package?"

The soldier reached inside of his armour, and fiddled with something for a moment before lifting out a palm-sized square of thick and coarse cotton. He pulled aside the layer, and with a deft flick of his wrist sent the object flying towards the ninja, and with his movement the object rang out cheerfully in the air.

Sheena automatically reached for it, her eyes widening as her ears picked up the familiar tinkling noise of the bell that had once been wrapped about the neck of her best friend. The golden trinket landed in her outstretched palm, and for a moment Sheena wasn't sure if she was dreaming. The gold-coloured steel felt warm against her skin, and the thin silver chain she had threaded through the bell to make it into a necklace remained just as she remembered. Her throat closed as a tidal wave of emotion crashed over her, leaving her speechless as her fingers stroked around the precious memento she had believed lost when she'd been let free of her torture chambers.

Unbidden she was taken back to the moment when she had realized the bell was gone from her throat, and the feeling of terror and agony that had left her wanting to cry out all over again. Colette had been baffled for a moment when she'd seen the tears spring anew in her eyes, but when she'd seen the naked place where the necklace had always been, she understood. When Corrine had died, Sheena had fashioned the bell, the only physical link that remained of the tiny fox-like creature, into a necklace and taken to wearing it. Her footsteps were always marked by the gentle chime, a reminder of the Spirit that had been her first friend. Losing the bell had been like losing Corrine all over again.

Noishe gave the softest of whines and nuzzled against her side, jolting her from the painful memories and bringing her back to reality. With her free hand she rubbed behind his ears as she turned the bell over in her hands, savouring the feel of the smooth metal and the soft chime that followed its movement. Her feeling of pleasure was squelched abruptly when she noted the sound was dulled by something blocking the bell. Holding it up, Sheena spied the tiny piece of paper stuck inside, and she fished it out easily as the messenger spoke as he spotted her unfolding the paper, "The person who gave the bell to another soldier warned that no one but you was to read the missive. It has been untouched, you can be assured."

Sheena only barely heard him as her heartbeat picked up speed inside of her chest as the tiny letter lay flat within her palm beside the bell. The sound of its thudding drowned out the noise around her, and she knew the messy scrawl as well as she knew her own reflection when she read the eight words silently to herself.

_Where the Heart lies, I wait for you._

For a moment she felt only confusion as she reread the riddle, and part of her cursed the secrecy that the author continued to shroud himself in. She found herself wishing she was with him, if only to throttle him for everything he was putting her and their friends through. The other half of her though made her hold the paper and bell to her chest, closing her eyes as the tiny spark of hope she'd carried burst into a fully fledged flame. He was reaching out to her, and that was enough to earn her trust again. 'Lloyd...'

Closing her hands around the precious gifts, Sheena opened her eyes and met the polite gaze of the soldier who'd yet to leave. He sensed she had questions, and not wanting to keep him waiting she asked him bluntly, "Who exactly sent this to me?"

"A young half-elf by the name of Harley."

"Did he tell the soldier where he got a hold of this bell?"

"He was mum on that." The answer came crisply, as if he'd been waiting to be grilled on the facts. He was only apologetic that he had so few to give to the obviously disturbed ninja. He kept his back straight and eyes focussed on hers, showing his training as a soldier as he continued on, "The message was simple; 'Get this bell to Sheena Fujibayashi immediately'. He said it was a matter of intense importance, and no one was willing to risk keeping you waiting. Lord Yuan would have our heads if we failed to move quickly enough."

"Of course he would." Sheena laughed mirthlessly, but her mind was spinning and didn't allow her to really take in the attempt at levity. She knew no one personally in Asgard, but had met once or twice with a trio of people that Lloyd and the others had been with before. The name she'd been told was mildly familiar even though she could put no face to it, and assumed that Lloyd had likely been running out of people to trust to get the bell to her without doing it himself and rousing suspicion. She let out a tired sigh, then shook her head apologetically as she murmured, "Thank you for getting this to me. It... was important."

"It was my pleasure, milady." The soldier gave a dramatic bow, and Sheena spied the strange look that passed over his eyes when he glanced at the bell once more. He smiled at her from underneath his helmet, and when she held the bell just a little more tighter to her chest he chided her with a friendly chuckle, "You aren't the only one with loved ones, Sheena of Mizuho. I am glad to do someone in love a service, even if it was within my duty to do it. Take care."

"You too." Sheena returned the words honestly, and watched him for a moment as he turned back and melted into the shadows once more. Letting out another long sigh, Sheena relaxed her body and studied the note again as Noishe pressed himself against her side and sniffed curiously at the bell in her other hand. She examined the note once more, mumbling aloud to herself, "First he leaves me his ring, then he disarms me in the temple, and now he's sending me back Corrine's bell and leaving me a half-assed riddle? What the hell is he thinking?"

She wasn't sure how long she stood in the silence of the night, pondering the riddle she'd been given and the bell along with it. It wasn't like Lloyd to lead anyone on a merry chase for answers. He was much too straight-forward for that. Though as Sheena stared down at the bell in her hand, she had to muse that nothing concerning the swordsman recently had been in character. The words she stared at seemed to be leaping from the scrap of paper they were written on, urging her to realize their meaning.

"So, he wants to meet me... He's waiting for me..." Sheena murmured out loud, hoping that talking to herself would make the destination Lloyd had given to her all the more clearer. Noishe continued sniffing at the bell, whining softly as if he knew the significance of the trinket and the puzzle in her hand. She stroked his fur listlessly, repeating the message curiously, "'Where the Heart lies'...? The heart? What does that..."

Though she did not move, Corrine's bell gave a soft ring and brought her eyes down to it. The golden steel seemed to pulse, responding to her voice before it faded away, leaving only a lasting impression of warmth that did not come from her skin or the body heat of the man who'd carried it to her. Sheena's eyes widened in understanding, and she whispered, "Heart. Thank you Corrine!"

Hastily shoving the paper into her pocket, Sheena fastened the necklace around her throat where it belonged and stared out at the dark street where she knew Zelos and Colette should have been coming to meet her. She felt guilty for what she was going to do, but the bell at her throat warmed her and bolstered her confidence. Lloyd was waiting for her, and for the answers he owed and her own selfish reasoning, she wasn't going to make him wait. Sheena leaned down to kiss Noishe on the forehead, and with the old confident smile she had almost forgotten spreading across her lips, she told her faithful companion, "Alright, boy, you ready? We've got an old friend to beat up then bring back with us!"

With his eyes shining brightly and his tail wagging to and fro, Noishe barked happily in assent and followed her back into the mansion. She had a few things to do first, but he didn't mind the few minutes it would take before he'd be racing through the wind just underneath her Rheaird as they headed to the place where the journey had begun so many months ago.

**AN:**

**Pfft, I had always wanted to leave a chapter like that, but never had a real chance to. It sounds so corny, but it's also so epic that I couldn't resist. XD I'm such a loser. Anyway, I figured Lloyd wouldn't just outright tell her to go to where he was waiting, just in case the message got intercepted but I had a very hard time thinking of what he could say to get Sheena moving on her own without needing help from anybody. Then it hit me, and I started laughing at the blockage that made it impossible to write for the past few days. I'm an idiot. 8D**

**And so, Tasogare's sword finally gets its name shown, and for anybody actually interested... Tyrfing is an actual blade described in Norse mythology. I'd recommend going to Wikipedia or any other site if you want to know the actual myth, which I tried to follow as close as possible why also putting my own personal spin on. And while I'm telling you what myths and legends I've added in this story, the four Fallen brothers are also taken from Norse myth, as the deer (or something of the like) that fed on the branches of the great Yggdrasil, though Duraþròr's name got a bit screwed up by FFN's word-processor. I had a lot of fun doing that, but there of course is always more to follow. I enjoyed Symphonia's playing with Nordic legends (Riviera actually did a lot of that too, which had me laughing hysterically at some points since I played ToS first) and wanted to chuck in a few more shout-outs while I worked on this particular story. I wonder if anyone will catch all of the stuff I've thrown in.**

**Mood: Eager**

**Listening To: "Bink's Sake" - Brooke and Crew (One Piece, Episode 380)**

**~ Sky**


	27. Truth in the Dark

**Meltokio**

**Zelos' Manse**

**Early Morning**

"I'm going to _kill_ her!"

Genis tried to stifle his laughter as Zelos ranted on furiously, though he thought guiltily that he probably should have been a bit angry too considering what had taken place the previous night when he'd been sleeping. They had awoken to a letter resting on the table informing them that Sheena had taken off on Rheaird with Noishe to somewhere she wouldn't say, only that she'd be back within a day or two and not to worry. Still, the young mage wasn't entirely surprised by it either, as he'd noted Sheena had been growing increasingly sombre ever since the meeting in the Temple of Lightning. Her words on the letter had been brisk but cheerful, a jarring change from her current mood but one that left him feeling optimistic about whatever wild goose-chase she'd jumped headlong into.

Presea seemed to share his good humour, though she hadn't said a word. She had been the first to find the message as a frequent early-riser, and she had promptly awoken the rest of the household after double-checking Sheena's room to confirm the its contents. From them on she had politely put herself in the background, trying to hide the curling of her lips into a smile as the others conversed keenly about the missive.

With a hand about the note as she glanced down at it again, Raine frowned thoughtfully down at the familiar writing. It was true that there was a certain upbeat air to the note, which was rather unlike the summoner in the present days, but it didn't give Raine any leeway in her annoyance. The team had decided to remain together, and with their numerous enemies out and about, the professor worried for the wayward ninja. Trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible, Raine examined the writing and mused aloud again, "She says that something urgent came up, but that it was good news and she wouldn't take too long. Two to three days, at the most... I wonder what it is she discovered."

"And couldn't wait until we came back?" Colette asked somewhat glumly, and her shoulders slumped with a mix of disappointment and disapproval. She'd hoped for better from Sheena, especially considering her promise that they'd travel together from now on with no splitting up. Though she didn't doubt that whatever Sheena had run off after was likely good for all of them, she still worried. "How did she find out about this good news anyway? I thought she didn't leave the mansion?"

"She didn't." Regal confirmed with a nod, and he straightened his posture somewhat against the wall he had been leaning against. Everyone had been waiting eagerly for the two Chosen to return from their questioning with Hector, and the promise of new information kept them all inside of the mansion. "Likely she was visited by a messenger from Mizuho, or maybe the Renegades who caught her just outside when she went for a breath of fresh air with Noishe. Whatever she was told probably made her decide to act as quickly as possible, which meant not telling us."

"A stupid decision if you ask me." Zelos grunted, and with a shake of his head he folded his arms over his stomach again. He continued pacing up and down the length of the room, his irritation evident as he muttered, "I mean, seriously. She may be pretty much fully healed, but she shouldn't push her limits and she knows it. Plus, Noishe isn't exactly prime guard dog material right now, so she's practically handicapped with protecting him if they get into a scrap."

"I believe if Sheena sensed any danger, she would not have left without at least telling one of us." Presea spoke up quietly but firmly in the ninja's defence. She noted her words caused Genis to smile, but he smoothly hid it by raising his hand in front of his mouth. Trying to ignore him and the pinched feeling his expression brought to her stomach, Presea continued on, "She must have thought time was of the essence, or it may be a personal matter that she, as a ninja of Mizuho, needs to settle on her own. Whatever it may be, we should have faith in her as her comrades."

Zelos looked like he'd been told his favourite holiday had been cancelled, and he threw himself dejectedly into a nearby chair. Crossing his arms over his chest and pouting, he grumbled sourly, "Come on, when you say it like that _I_ feel like the bad guy. Totally not fair, Presea."

"Well, she does have a point." Raine conceded with a guilty chuckle and she shook her head a little at the logic of the pink-haired axeman. She was right, of course, which only made the professor laugh more at the scolding that could easily have been directed at her. "As unhappy as we may be for her running off without a word... We must have faith in her. She wouldn't run headlong into danger without telling one of us first what she intended to do. She knows better, as do we all."

Colette frowned, but she knew her professor was completely correct in her summation. Sheena had lost too much to ever be so foolish, and she cared too much for her friends to ever do something foolhardy. Even if she wasn't pleased with it, Colette sighed as she relinquished her feelings of betrayal. Whatever had possessed the ninja to leave would be good for them all. She let out a tired sigh as she, too, folded her arms about herself and mumbled grudgingly, "I guess you're right..."

"Here she says that if we want to wait for her somewhere close by, Iselia would be a good place to meet." Genis, who had taken the note from Raine to read it again pointed at the hastily scrawled postscript at the bottom of the paper. The last few words looked as if they'd been added at the last minute, but Genis was more interested in the town that was mentioned. His eyes were glistening with eagerness as he turned to Raine and asked eagerly, "Can we go, Raine? It's been ages since we've been back!"

Colette felt her initial grumpiness fade completely away at the idea of returning to her hometown, and she turned to Raine as well with hope lighting up her expression. Folding her hands in front of her, she added her voice to Genis' excitedly, "Oh please, can we, Professor?"

Raine had to stifle a laugh at the look of utter joy on the faces of her two students, but she felt their eagerness as well. Though she no longer lived in Iselia, she had many good memories there and still missed the village from time to time. She traded a knowing smile with Regal before pretending to dwell on the idea very seriously and negatively, "I'm not sure that would be a good idea... We could very well miss Sheena while we travel there, or she may have already solved her business and be on her way back here by the time we arrive..."

Zelos, knowing full well that Raine was only teasing, interrupted for the sake of the crestfallen Colette on his left, "Oh come on, Your Highness. It wouldn't be that bad of an idea. Even if we do miss Sheena, it'd be a good time for everyone, right? You and the brat can visit your old stomping grounds, and Colette can say hi to her folks. I don't really mind going." He turned to Presea, who was studying Genis with a look of curiosity before posing to her thoughtfully, "What about you, Presea? Would you mind?"

Presea shook her head to clear the fuzz Genis' look of displeasure had created in her mind before focussing on Zelos' question. Truthfully she wasn't bothered by the leave, and she did like the tiny village well enough to consider it from a personal angle. She mused though as she was about to answer that why she really wanted to go was so Genis would stop frowning when Raine had suggested staying in Meltokio instead. "I would not mind. It would be pleasant to visit Iselia once more. Plus, it would be a chance to tell Dirk that Noishe is safe, as I am sure he has been worrying."

Regal, as the last to add his voice to the conversation, had to chuckle as he saw his wife trying to hide her smile and failing hugely. He adjusted his posture in his seat so he could nudge Raine's hand with his shoulder as he finished with the vote, "I believe it would be a good idea to go. Everyone seems eager, and if we do miss Sheena, she will know immediately where we are after returning here."

Raine held out for another long moment, savouring the tension and looks of pleading excitement on the faces of her younger comrades. She admitted to feeling a bit bad for holding her power over them, but she couldn't simply give in immediately without having a fair say from the others. With a laugh, she nodded her head and told them amicably, "Alright. We'll pack up and leave by noon today then for Iselia."

Genis let out a gleeful whoop and hugged his sister tight around the middle as Colette gave a happy cheer. He released his sister as quickly as he'd jumped at her, and grabbed Presea by the hand as he announced excitedly, "Come on, let's get packing! The sooner we finish the sooner we can leave!" Almost dragging the surprised axeman, he was out the door and climbing the stairs in seconds, his excited voice fading into silence as they ran.

Colette and Zelos were the next to leave, with the blond angel laughing as she spoke happily about seeing her family for the first time in months since her stint in the repairing work for Palmacosta. Zelos could be heard talking earnestly with her, seeming to be pleased about going to Iselia as well for the peace and quiet of the village.

Left behind by the younger four, Regal shook his head as he thought about how eagerly they had rushed off to pack and get moving. He glanced at Raine, who was still staring at the doorway Genis had run through with Presea, and felt his smile growing at the unfathomable look that froze her expression. Leaning on his knees, Regal questioned with a hint of amusement, "It seems Presea is no longer immune to your little brother as she used to be. They've grown very close in these past two years, haven't they?"

"At first I wasn't sure if I liked Genis being so infatuated with her, but lately... I'm starting to change my mind." Raine admitted with a soft laugh of her own, and she sat down noisily in the chair next to her husband. She took the discarded letter from the table, absently looking down at it without really seeing it as she explained sheepishly, "I didn't enjoy the idea that he was growing up so quickly, or his behaviour when it concerned her being in danger..."

Regal's smile faded as he heard the undercurrent in her voice as she spoke of the scar that still marred Genis' chest despite all efforts to make it disappear. The two adults had been astonished when Presea had quietly, guiltily, explained the specifics of the wound, and Raine had left the room for almost an hour to sort herself out in privacy. He knew she had been angry with the tiny axeman, even though she blamed herself, but he had been more startled at Genis' bravery. The young mage had truly taken protecting Presea to heart, and no longer seemed to be simply infatuated. "What made you change your mind?"

"The way she acts towards him." Raine answered with a real smile, and she leaned forward onto the table and rested her face in one hand as she gazed out the door. She hadn't been sure if Presea even realized Genis' feelings at first, but there wasn't much doubting it now. Even if she didn't know it to be love, or even attraction, the axeman definitely could feel the connection. "Ever since the incident... She's been glued to his side. Making sure he doesn't strain himself, keeping an eye on his health and well-being... She may have felt guilty at first, and that may have been what prompted her to be so keen on him, but I have a feeling that's changed somewhat. She isn't just doing it now out of a sense of obligation. There's a deeper meaning to it."

Regal had to agree, though he hadn't broached the subject with his wife before. He hadn't been sure of her opinion on it, and to be frank, he hadn't even been sure of his own until recently. It was a complicated affair, and one he didn't want to judge too lightly even if others did. "She does seem to act different since spending so much time with him. He's taught her much about emotion, and of life. She seems happier, as well. He on the other hand..."

"Still starts stammering like a lovestruck idiot if he sees her smiling at him." Raine finished with a snort of mirth. She had hoped that maybe Genis had finally calmed that part of him, but he was still as awkward as ever. It amused her and softened her former irritation though, and allowed her to accept the fact that her younger brother was growing away from her. At least, bit by bit. "I'm sure he's in a panic right now, since he had her by the hand when they left the room. By now though, she might actually realize why."

"Do you think she knows, though?" Regal questioned with the utmost seriousness, and he watched Raine's eyes flicker with a memory of their former hardness. It was the one thing that made the two adults very weary of the relationship, even if the two in question weren't even there yet. Barriers could be leaped, and they proved it with their own marriage, but some could be more difficult than others.

"There are times when I wonder. She was very concerned about him when he was stubbornly insisting on doing things on his own... to the point where she had confused herself very deeply about her sense of time again. While Colette and I managed to cheer her up and sort out her puzzles..." Raine sighed and flopped back against the hard back of the chair and closed her eyes as she angled her face up to the ceiling. She was familiar with watching children and adolescents deal with their first case of 'love', but when it was her own brother, and the strange adult-child axeman... "Whether or not she's aware of her feelings is yet to be seen. Whether she will accept them is another matter altogether that I don't want to think about. They both are too young to call it love, but then again, they've both seen and experienced too much to ever be called children, or even youth."

"Well, they have much time to go ahead of them still. It's best you don't worry too much."

"That would be like telling the water not to be wet, Regal."

"One must try."

* * *

**Depths of Martel Temple**

**Late Morning**

Despite the overhead sun of the dwindling morning, Sheena was immersed in darkness as she steadily moved herself further underground. The stifling air of the dungeon only added to her discomfort, but she took it in stride and headed past the warp panel that would take her higher and to the dias where she had discovered Verius near the end of their journey. Part of her ached to go to the Summon Spirit, if only for a moment of comfort, but she had no time for it.

So instead she wandered deeper into the temple, all the while wondering if she had correctly solved the riddle. Her left arm remained pulled within her sleeve to handle her battle cards in case she was jumped, while the right lazily stroked the wall as she moved along the winding hallways. She had never been underneath the temple before. The journey to see Verius had only brought her as far as the dias, and they had left Iselia shortly afterward at her behest. Now that she'd returned, full to burst of memories, Sheena took her time walking through the darkness.

'I hope I got it right... Otherwise, I don't think I want to be here.' Sheena mused inwardly, and she folded her free arm over her middle as her eyes restlessly scanned the shadowy path ahead of her. She tried to remember the layout of the place that Lloyd had shortly described to her, but it was a futile effort. She only knew that directly below the dias, above a crystal platform had laid the Sorcerer's Ring, but it was deeper than her current position. 'It's pretty stifling...'

"_Just... don't go anywhere dark or under the ground, will you? I'm getting some bad vibes."_

The words rang in her mind without her trying to think of them, causing Sheena to stop abruptly in her tracks. Cursing under her breath, Sheena covered her eyes with her free hand in a gesture of exasperation. Her voice was muffled but still venomous as she growled to no one, "Of course I wait until I'm in the dark, underground and alone to remember that particular bit of information! Geez, this is really going to suck, isn't it?"

She had just finished grumbling when she heard the soft clinking sound of chainmail moving from somewhere in the recesses behind her. Her eyes narrowed but she remained slackened in posture while her other hand moved up into the opposite sleeve to draw her cards for battle. The sound stopped, but Sheena knew better than to chalk it up to her imagination. She continued to move forward, pretending to not have noticed so that she'd have the element of surprise when her uninvited guest showed themselves.

In the breadth of ten seconds Sheena found the silence of the temple erupting in violence as she heard the chainmail clink again, and this time right behind her. With a snarl she whirled on her enemy, who drew back in surprise before he caught her blow with the flat side of his blade. She had only managed to make a half-turn, and her opponent took advantage of it to disarm her with two quick movements of his frozen sword. He slid behind her, sheathing his sword in the same movement before grabbing her arms and pinning them behind her back. Having her immobilized, he hissed urgently into her ear as they stood in the dark pressed up awkwardly into the niche the instant of battle had forced them into.

"Wait! Stop it, Sheena!"

Her fighting blood went cold, and Sheena stood stock still as she digested the fact that yet again Lloyd had effectively disarmed and captured her. Though there was a great difference from what had happened in the Temple of Lightning, as he used no weapons but merely his own hands. His hands weren't gripping her painfully tight either, and his voice no longer sounded dead as it had back before. Hers though did when she muttered bitterly back to him as they caught their breath, "Well, this is familiar... Except last time you were using Flamberge to hold me still, and I'd just caught you pilfering a cache of Exspheres."

Lloyd exhaled painfully at her condemning words, but he didn't protest them. What she'd said was the truth even without the painful context. He released her, and she turned on him with such blinding speed that he didn't have time to process her arm lifting. However he did get to feel her closed fist smashing with every ounce of her strength against the side of his face, sending him sprawling against the wall with a muffled grunt of pain. Her well-timed punch had been absolutely vicious, and left him speechless and wincing as he pressed his back against the wall and surrendered his weight for a brief moment. "Ow... Damn."

It took a moment for him to get his bearings again, and he gingerly cradled his throbbing cheek as he mumbled, "Can't say that I didn't deserve that at all..." Blinking back tears of pain, Lloyd looked up to see her still cocking her fist as if she wanted to throw a few more punches at him. Beyond the stance though, he saw tears of pain in her gaze, and it softened the last shield he'd put over his heart.

There was no more Tasogare threatening their lives if he stepped out of line. She was safe from his stupidity again, but she had suffered for it in the meantime. The thought hurt him, but he knew it was a pittance compared to her own. With a guilty frown, he opened his arms and took her into them and into a tight embrace. She didn't try to pull away but nor did she respond, which made him hold her all the tighter as he buried his face in her hair and whispered, "I'm sorry... for everything... I'm... so sorry..."

Sheena closed her eyes, allowing his apology to soothe the first level of the ache in her heart. His arms were tight, like iron bands around her body but as it had been with Colette when she'd woken up in Meltokio months ago, she cared more about the comfort than the restraint. She didn't return his embrace, not yet, but she stood within his arms and pressed her face against his shoulder as she murmured through the tears she was finally allowing herself to shed, "I want answers. Everything that's happened since we were separated... don't miss a single thing. What the hell's been going on with you?"

Lloyd took in a deep breath, but he didn't hesitate even if he wanted to. There was no real point to it, as his own feelings had stopped mattering when he had thought she was dead. The thought made him hold her against him all the tighter, and he took in a deep breath of her scent of cherry blossoms to soothe his aching heart and bolster his resolve to tell her.

He wasn't sure how long he spoke, pouring out every detail he could remember after she had been taken away from the prison cell where he'd been kept with her. He told her everything, making sure to miss not a single point of what he'd learned or tried to from his enigmatic captor and the game of politics and death she had embroiled him in. He explained the threat that had been held over his head, and though she looked like she wanted to rebuff him she kept silent and allowed him to get through it all. There would be time to contest it later. She had asked for answers, and it'd be unfair to question him in the middle of an explanation.

When he had finished, with his arms still locked around her body, Sheena was silent as she tried to absorb it all. It was too much to take in all at once, but she didn't doubt him in the least. The agony in his voice when he'd admitted he thought she was dead had almost broken her resolve to stay silent and listen, and she'd decided right then and there that everything he told her was the truth. There was no acting out that kind of pain, and she knew Lloyd was a terrible liar anyway. Even his body had betrayed him, shivering just the slightest bit as he pulled her closer into his hug, and she'd went along willingly to give him the comfort she knew he needed.

A strained silence stretched between them, with neither sure of what to say now that the truth hung out in the open for them to see. It was Sheena who broke it first, as she lifted her arms finally and buried her fingers in the rough fabric of his jacket to return his hug now that he'd finished. Her voice was shaky as she muttered into his shoulder, "You're such an idiot. Why would you do something so stupid? You know we can protect ourselves, don't..." Her voice faded off into a bitter chuckle, and she shook her head as she corrected herself stonily, "No... We couldn't... Not against this... Not when we weren't prepared."

"I thought I'd lost you already." Lloyd breathed painfully, allowing every ounce of loneliness he had felt let go through his words. He had her in his arms now, and his friends were close enough that he could reach out and touch them if he wanted to. There was no point in clinging to the painful emotion now, and so he let it out now with the one person he trusted his deepest feelings to. "I couldn't... think of losing anyone else. I swore I'd do anything I could to keep them safe... and Tasogare knew that. She probably planned on it."

"I hope you let me have a swipe at her." Sheena growled angrily under her breath, bristling at the idea of everything the angel had put Lloyd and the others through. She had a difficult time imagining anyone being so cruel, but she did know she wouldn't take the insults and injuries lying down. Drawing away from Lloyd now, she folded her arms over her stomach and glared at the wall as she snarled, "That bitch deserves everything that's coming to her. First kidnapping us, then using you, and Neil... Do you really think she wants to take down Auin and isn't trying to lure us into some sort of trap?"

"While I wouldn't put it past her to lure us into a trap..." Lloyd began tiredly, wishing he could believe the absolute worst of Tasogare like Sheena. However there were too many oddities about the angel he couldn't simply discard. He spoke honestly even if it frustrated him to do so about the angel when he explained, "She means it when she says she wants to kill Auin. She hates him, with every fibre of her being. I don't doubt it for a second. And to be honest, I don't blame her. The guy's sick."

"Presea and Genis told us as much, so I believe that." Sheena nodded, but her expression was troubled as she folded her arms more snugly about herself. As much as she believed him and considered him innocent... There was just one detail that she truly didn't want to consider as truth. When Lloyd met her gaze she knew he didn't want to believe it either, but she still was forced to speak, to confirm it again, "It's... He isn't really... back...? It isn't just... someone trying to make you believe that he's alive?"

Lloyd let out a weary breath, and the strength in his limbs faded a little and left him leaning heavily on the stone wall. He hated being reminded of the adversary he and his friends had defeated to be still alive, even in the twisted and shattered way he was. He answered the question truthfully, wincing as he did so, "No... It is him... or what's left of him. When we destroyed the Cruxis Crystal, that was meant to be the last of it, but the shards were collected by the Desians, and some part of him refused to die. He said so himself at the end... that he'd choose the same path over again without regret... and I think that conviction kept the worst of him alive. His hatred and will to do what he set out to do... That's all that's left in the shards. While it _is_ him... it's not him."

"The very worst of him..." Sheena paraphrased quietly, and unbidden her body gave a shudder as her mind swayed dangerously close to the memories she had buried deep after being rescued in Welgaia. Her fingers clenched themselves around her sleeves until her knuckles went white, but she ignored the pain of her grip as she took in a deep breath through her nose. After holding it for a moment she exhaled, and then let the tension in her muscles go with it. "So if you help Tasogare get rid of Auin, she'll help us get rid of... the Cruxis Crystal?"

Lloyd averted his eyes, and through the initial happiness he felt at being side by side with Sheena he felt the familiar lust for blood returning. Though she was alive, though he was with her again, he still wanted his claim on the angel's life. One that she seemed surprisingly willing to give to him, once her conditions were met. He corrected Sheena's words darkly as one of his hands moved to touch Flamberge which had begun to warm on his hip, "Not exactly. If I help Tasogare get rid of Auin... She get us to the Cruxis Crystal... and then I get to kill her."

Sheena's eyes widened in surprise, and then the understanding softened her initial shock. He would have sworn out a vow to kill Tasogare if he'd believed her dead. What really startled her though was the fact that Tasogare was willing to give her life to him in exchange for aid in killing Auin. The deal seemed ludicrous, but it cemented Lloyd's earlier words of her hatred of Auin. Her life meant nothing. Killing Auin was all that mattered to her.

Her eyes narrowed then, and Sheena carefully watched Lloyd's face as if examining him for the first time. There was a new hardness to him that she hadn't seen before, but the ninja doubted that the few months apart had made him into a cold-blooded murderer. To kill in the heat of battle was one thing, but to take a life of an unarmed and helpless opponent was another entirely.

"Are you going to?"

Lloyd turned at the question, and he was surprised with his inability to answer her without pausing. His tongue grew heavy on the affirmation, and he swallowed it back just as instinctively as he'd wanted to say it. A weary laugh instead passed his lips, and he spoke with an age-old weariness, "She's given me the chance a few times... and I've turned her down every time. She offers me her dagger, or I've had a chance to put my sword into her... but I never do. Even though I want to so badly it hurts, I just can't do it. I don't know if I'll be able to when the time comes either."

Sheena's lips softened into a smile, and she reached out to take a gentle hold of his hand which had begun to shake on the hilt of his sword. He looked up in surprise, but she squeezed softly as she replied, "Don't think too hard on it, Lloyd. You'll know what to do when the time comes, and you need to trust that. Your instincts haven't steered you wrong once, have they?"

Lloyd found his mouth moving to return the smile automatically, and his hand became slack before it fell off of the sword entirely. Sheena's fingers wound into his, and he closed his eyes to savour the comfort of her touch. Her words soothed his mind while her touch warmed his heart, making him whole again. "Thanks... and you're right... I'll be okay now, now that you're with me again."

Red stole instantly into Sheena's face at the cliched words she remembered speaking once to him too, and to over up her embarrassment she turned her head away and snapped back sharply, "And don't ever pull a stunt like this again! I'll kick your ass from here to Mizuho and back! And don't think I've forgotten about the thousand needles either!"

"Whoa, hey!" Lloyd raised both his hands defensively at that and automatically he skipped back a step at the threat. He remembered well the promise they'd made in Heimdall, but the idea of swallowing a thousand needles for what had taken place didn't seem fair. "No way, it wasn't my fault! That's totally not fair!"

Sheena folded her arms over her waist, scowling at him while hoping fervently that the blush on her cheeks was fading away and couldn't be seen in the darkness. Lloyd didn't seem to notice, and she thanked the gods for it while continuing firmly to buy herself more time while spinning about to give him her back, "So, do you promise not to run off like that anymore? Or to at least have some faith in me and let me know what the hell is going on next time?"

Lloyd was ready to proclaim his end of the promise feverishly, but the words died in his mouth as he heard beneath the scowl and the embarrassment in her voice. There was real hurt there, hurt that he didn't know if he'd be able to fix. He let out a weary sigh, and without thinking stepped forward and drew her against his chest. She stiffened slightly then relaxed, leaning back into him as he spoke quietly and firmly, "I promise, Sheena. We go together from now on... always. Okay...?"

His arms had dropped around her shoulders, hugging her close and sheena raised her hands to touch his forearms without thinking. His voice was earnest in her ear, shedding the last of her doubts and healing the last of her hurts. She smiled weakly, wondering inwardly when she'd grown so weak. Tilting her head back just a little to rest on his shoulder, she accepted his words with a small, "Okay..."

**AN:**

**Shorter than my average this time around, but the sappy fluff I'm known for should make up for it... I hope. XD I was talking with my boyfriend during this segment, so I blame him for igniting the fangirl! (Excuses, excuses...) Anyway, it's time to bring the gang back together and get started on the real problem. There is shit to be settled in the next few chapters before bringing it around to my favourite parts that I've been just itching to write! I've been watching a lot of fluffy stuff in the games I've been playing, so I blame that too for all the awesome romance this chapter has been stuffed with... Probably makes for a jarring difference from what I've been writing... Lotsa grimdark stuff... Stop rambling, Sky!**

**Yeah, so I've been partially blocked, and partially distracted from my writing as of late. A friend of mine actually loaned me her PS2, and a bunch of games, and I just had to leap headlong into them all with a gleeful whoop. I have beaten one of the eight she gave to me (Persona 4), and have eight more to win. I'm halfway through three others, (Persona 3 FES, Tales of Abyss and Final Fantasy X) and have just started Star Ocean: Till The End of Time. The three others are Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy 11, and Tales of Legendia. My opinions on the games... Well Persona is my lover, regardless of the number, and I've always been curious about Final Fantasy, though it does scare me fandom wise. Tales of Abyss makes me mad, and I've yet to play Legendia... and Star Ocean just makes me go "dafuq?" all the time. So, we'll see how things go in the future. I'll keep you posted!**

**Mood: Entertained**

**Listening To: "Bokura no Natsu no Yume" -Tatsurou Yamashita (Summer Wars Ending Theme)**

**~ Sky**


	28. Possessed Memories

**Northern Iselia**

**Afternoon**

Colette closed her eyes as she relaxed against the stone and allowed her bare toes to skim the seawater that lapped lazily against the stony wall that hindered the water from making the coast into an actual beach. The dying summer hadn't yet to cool down the water, and the sun still heated the stony outcropping, giving Colette a perfect chance to warm herself and enjoy it. The silence of the northern path, winding by the mountains and woods that shadowed Iselia was her favourite place to relax and she was glad to have a chance to visit it after being out of her home for so long.

Splaying her hands flat on the smooth surface of the rock she was perched on, Colette tilted her head up to better feel the sun on her face. Her friends were still inside of the village, reuniting with old friends, meeting new ones and exploring while enjoying the afternoon. She had already visited her father and grandmother, and after a promise to be back for supper she had ventured out to the coast for a private moment.

'I missed Iselia... It's nice to be back...' Sighing happily, the blond angel focussed her hearing and listened to the distant cry of the seagulls over the water. She had been surprised by how much she missed the sounds of animal life, which had been shockingly absent from their journey. A frown curled at her lips at the thought, and she gazed out at the sea as the memories of the trials behind came back to invade the warm moment. 'Even though I'm back home... I keep thinking of the journey... I guess it's impossible to really take a break. I wonder if anyone else is managing to relax...'

As if her thoughts had summoned him, she heard the footsteps of the redheaded angel approaching from down the coast. Turning her gaze west, Colette watched as Zelos walked absently among the stone, never allowing the water to touch his sandalled feet. His eyes were on the sun, but she could see even from a distance his little smile that let her know he knew she was there. "Ah..."

She rose to her feet, ready to meet him but her feet tangled themselves on the rocks. With a dismayed squeak Colette tumbled off of the edge and hit the water with a loud splash. Her head dipped under the water for a moment from the surprise, and she heard Zelos letting out an oath before a splash on her immediate left told her that he'd jumped in after her.

His strong arm had latched onto her waist in preparation to pull her out, but when he'd realized that she was safe he'd joined her in treading water. He sighed and brushed his drenched hair from his eyes before commenting in a falsely exasperated voice, "You really are hopeless, huh? I thought I was going to have to play lifeguard!"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking when I stood up." Colette apologized with an embarrassed laugh, and she raised her hands to brush her hair back to the sides of her face. The tide carried them closer to the wall, but she kicked easily away from it and out further. Zelos followed her with a crooked smile, and she explained sheepishly as she averted her gaze, "I've been swimming here since I was little with Lloyd and Genis, so it's okay. Thanks for jumping in after me. You're all wet now, though..."

"Yeah, well, it's not so bad." Zelos shrugged at her worried tone, and without a word he surrendered his weight to the water to float on his back. He could feel Colette's gaze on him, and he closed his eyes as the water lapped lazily at his clothing while the sun shone down. "So, you remember doing this with Lloyd and the brat, huh? Was it fun?"

A bit puzzled, Colette tilted her head as she tried to guess what was underneath the tone he used at the question. She'd become quite adept at reading between the lines when it came to him, but every so often she would become confused. The question seemed so innocent, but a tightness had entered his voice and warned her that something bothered him. She answered him honestly, knowing that a lie would only worsen whatever was already bothering him, "It was. I couldn't swim very well, but Lloyd was very good at it. He helped me a lot, and then he taught Genis how since the professor never went swimming. The summer was always a lot of fun."

"Is summer your favourite season?" Again his tone seemed conversational, but the same hardness had undermined the words that were meant to be soft. His eyes were closed and his face passive so she could not read his emotions, but Colette stared at him regardless in hopes of finding something underneath the mask.

"I do like summer, but... I like winter the most." Colette answered slowly, and she became aware of the stiffening of his body against the water when she spoke. His features pinched ever so slightly, and this only served to increase her worry. However she continued to explain when he was silent, wanting to know what was wrong and not wanting to sound rude by prying, "I like the snow. It's really pretty, the way it spreads out like a blanket... and it's really fun to play in."

Zeos let out a weak laugh, and he shook his head as he righted himself in the water. The warmth from the sun and the summer-baked sea was no longer with him, leaving his innards as frozen as the snow that Colette enjoyed so dearly. He sighed before raising a hand from the water to run over his face as he muttered under his breath, "Of course... Figures you'd enjoy the wintertime."

"Zelos, what's wrong?" Colette righted herself as well in a swift movement, and her eyes narrowed on him in concern. The cheery mood had completely been extinguished, leaving her feeling empty. Hesitantly she reached to touch the arm he left hanging in the water, and her voice became timid as she questioned, "Why do you sound so sad...?"

"I don't enjoy the snow. At all."

The words were tight, cutting off the conversation before it had a chance to begin. The pain in his voice cut her deep, enough that she wouldn't have pursued it even if he hadn't made it clear he didn't want to talk about it. Instead, Colette kicked forward a little and rested her head against his chest, wrapping her arms about his waist in a tender embrace. He started a little at her touch, and slowly, he raised his arms to return her hug. She spoke quietly, so softly that if he hadn't been so close the whisper of the waves against their bodies would have drowned out her voice, "It's alright. I won't ask anymore. You don't need to worry."

Another weak chuckle was wrung from him at her kindness, and to her surprise his arms tightened forcibly about her body until she gave a little gasp. Still he didn't loosen his hold, and he buried his face in her hair as he whispered, "I'll tell you someday, Colette. I promise you that... just not today... Alright...?"

"Okay." Colette needed no further explanation. She gave his chest a tiny push, and then smiled sweetly up at him when he glanced down at her. She shook her wet hair from her face, and then giggled a bit when she noticed his own red locks were plastered against his cheeks. She reached up to sort out his bangs, but he seized her hand before she had a chance. A question was on her tongue before he yanked her forward and covered her lips with his own in a kiss that was much different than the one she remembered sharing outside of Meltokio.

She had initiated that one, and it had been soft, hesitant and lasted only a moment. In the middle of speaking, Colette had no time to react before his tongue was inside of her lips, caressing and searching an area she'd never used before in this way. Her body stiffened for a moment, unsure of how to feel or even organize the motley of the thoughts and feelings rushing through her mind. She went limp though when his right hand pressed against the small of her back, pressing a button she didn't know existed in her spine to make her suddenly lose control of her posture. She slumped into his chest, her body no longer hers to control as she leaned forward instinctively, dreamily, to deepen the kiss.

His hold on her became abruptly aggressive for a moment when she responded to his embrace, but as quickly as it came it passed. He was gentle then, moving his hands to her shoulders and slowly, fraction by tiny fraction, pulling away from the kiss. He pecked her several times on the lips, each one softer and gentler than the last before finally he stopped altogether. He sighed a bit at their actions, and rested his chin on top of her head before muttering, "You're going to be the death of me one day, angel."

"What?" Colette's head snapped up as if she was balanced on a spring, and Zelos thanked the gods he'd moved back fast enough before she had accidentally headbutted him in the jaw. Her eyes were full of worry and panic, and she reached to grab his wrists as she pleaded desperately, "Don't say that kind of thing!"

Zelos had to fight the urge to laugh when she stared at him so, and it took him a few seconds of deep breathing before he found it safe enough to reply. There was no hiding his grin though when he reached up to stroke the shape of her cheek with a bare fingertip and reply, "Okay, okay. It was just a joke, sweetheart."

"I don't think it was very funny."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'll be more careful in the future." At her petulant words and pout, Zelos found it impossible not to chuckle a bit. He kissed the top of her head, amused when she blushed and touched the spot where he'd kissed her with a bit of an embarrassed smile. He let himself drift closer to the wall, and he took her with him by grasping onto her hand. She followed immediately, though still blushing which brought a new smile to his face. Her newfound shyness with him was too cute to not comment on. "Should I stop with the kissing? You look redder than a tomato."

"Do I really?" Colette would have looked at herself if it was possible, but the water wasn't still enough for her to see her reflection. She fumbled with her hair, too embarrassed to really formulate a reply, especially when he was smiling so cheekily at her. Though underneath her awkwardness, she was happy again. He was no longer frowning, and the aura of sadness that had been around him was no longer as thick as before. She smiled slightly, allowing herself to nudge against him as the tide pushed them further back.

Zelos tilted his head, watching the peaceful smile on her lips as she rested against his side. She had surrendered her weight to the water, her eyes closed as she let her head fall against his arm. He wrapped his arm a little more tighter about her waist, wondering when he'd been so at ease. 'Heh... She really is something.'

He was just about to comment on it when a sharp crack from the east had them both turning their heads to the village. Above Iselia in the sky was a single red flare, glowing faintly in the sunlit day. Zelos frowned at the unfamiliar symbol, while Colette pursed her lips in confusion. The redheaded angel ambled from the water easily, helping Colette out the moment she raised her hand to do the same.

"Think it was the brat?" Zelos asked as he whipped his head back and forth to dry his long hair. Colette jumped a bit when the spray hit her, but the mood had changed too much for her to make a joke. She wasn't sure how to answer as the flare continued to pulse in the sky, showing it wasn't some sort of firework as it didn't fade away.

"It could be. Genis never has done that kind of thing before." Colette answered evasively, not wanting to put her bet on anything as she wasn't sure. She rubbed the water from her face with her hand, but followed Zelos at a trot back towards the village. As they got closer they could see the marker showed right at the exit to the forest, the opposite direction they'd be arriving from. "If it was him... It might mean trouble."

"I doubt it was trouble. The kid, her highness and the president can easily manage whatever would be coming at them. I bet they just found Sheena and wanna talk." Zelos shook his head at the unease in Colette's voice, though it did tighten his stomach a little. He didn't want to think of trouble following them into the homey village. Still, his pace increased into a run, as Colette had already started dashing without even thinking of it. "We'll find out soon enough."

"Mm." Colette's answer had no tone to it, and though she knew she was likely overreacting, she couldn't help her pace. Zelos made no complaint as he matched her stride for stride, but she still felt a little guilty. The thought alone wasn't enough to keep her from racing down the familiar sloping path though. The single red ball of sparks over the village was dying off as they approached the gates, and without a word to those standing watch they bolted into the village.

The group they were searching for was easy to spot, gathered in a loose semicircle around the entrance to the cliffs that led to the Iselian wood. Zelos slowed his pace instinctively as he noticed the tension in the air, but Colette kept up at a light jog that turned into a skid as she reached the edge of the group. Her eyes widened into saucers as she saw the reason for the tensed backs of her comrades, and her voice came out in a startled squeak as familiar adust met her gaze in an almost apologetic fashion.

"L-Lloyd?"

"Hey, Colette." His voice had a forced sort of cheer to it that fell flat almost immediately, and instinctively Colette took a step forward but found herself stopping when she noted the gazes of her friends. None of them wore expressions of happiness at the sight of their former leader and friend. She swallowed back her own instinctive delight, remembering cruelly the dying words of Neil from the footage Yuan had shown them.

At her sudden change of expression Lloyd frowned in response, but he made no further attempt to speak to her. Instead his eyes swept around the guarded gazes of his comrades and he felt his heart give a painful thud against his ribs. None of them displayed happiness, but he knew that he deserved that. He felt the urge to flee, to hide again amongst the shadows that had kept him safe but isolated.

The hand around his wrist tightened ever so slightly, reminding him forcefully of why he had returned home as he had. He closed his eyes, savouring the comforting touch of Sheena's hand for a brief moment. He opened his eyes again, meeting the stares of his friends in turn but unable to focus on a single one of them. They had been at a stalemate ever since he'd entered the village with Sheena at his side. Genis had shot up a flare upon seeing him, signalling everyone to gather at the spot, but no one had come forward to meet him. Instead they all formed a semicircle about him, no one speaking or moving. It was unnerving and painful to be on the outside, but he stood his ground as he waited for everyone to finally assemble. Now that they had... Lloyd was at a loss for words.

He was surprised then when Sheena released her grip on him and came to stand between him and the others who still seemed unsure of their own feelings. Her voice was firm as she shook her head empathetically, as if disagreeing with unspoken words, "I know how you're all feeling about this. It's confusing and hard, but you have to listen to him. There's actually a good explanation for what has been happening. You need to give him a chance."

"I don't think anyone is against that." Raine replied evenly, but her voice was cold and detached. She looked past Sheena, into the hardened but hurt face of her former student. Her heart gave a pang at the expression but she didn't allow it to get to her face. She wanted answers, full and complete ones, and wouldn't be satisfied until she had them all. She could already feel Genis, Presea and Colette's resolve to keep their distance crumbling, she wouldn't allow it for herself or them in the long run. "However, it would be best if we didn't do this inside of the village. The Renegades are keeping watch here, and if they see you..."

"Is inside the school a good place to talk?" Genis suggested as he watched the faces of his friends around him shift into uncomfortable expressions. No one raised an objection, and so he took the lead by boldly breaking the undrawn line between them and Lloyd. He walked straight up to his old friend and promptly grabbed him by the wrist that Sheena had let go. His voice was firm as he nudged the taller boy with his shoulder in a playful gesture, "Someone's gotta put a leash on you, so I'll do it for now."

Colette immediately followed, her smile gentle and no longer restrained as she felt the ice thawing between her friends. She took Lloyd's other arm, hearing Sheena laugh softly behind them as she gave it a tender squeeze. Her voice was light, finally released of sadness as she fell back into the old pattern, "I bet it's been awhile since you saw the school, hasn't it?"

"Yeah." Lloyd's answer was quiet, though he could feel his lips pulling back into a tiny smile. His friends hadn't written him off entirely, and the thought made his eyes hurt. He could feel Sheena's hand, ghosting on the back of his jacket along with Genis' and Colette's grips on his wrist, causing the pain to be a bit more intense. 'Guys...'

The inside of the schoolroom looked the same as ever as he and his friends stepped in and found their seats. He declined the offer to sit at a desk, instead standing up at the front while Sheena perched protectively on the front desk beside him. He glanced sidelong at her, but she stubbornly shook her head as the others again formed a half circle around him. He swallowed a little, wondering awkwardly if he was expected to give a speech.

He was saved the hesitation as his old professor's eyes bore into his without emotion. Her mouth was pulled into a thin line, and her arms remained crossed over her stomach. There was no inflection in her tone when she spoke up for all of them, "I think this would be the perfect time for some answers."

Lloyd nodded silently, but the words refused to come to his mouth as they had with Sheena back in the temple. Instead he stood still by the blackboard, arms wrapped about himself and eyes closed as he tried to sort through his thoughts. He had no idea where to begin. The explanation had poured out without thought when he had faced Sheena, but it was bottled up awkwardly now. "I..."

"Sheena told me that you two had been captured and... and tortured." The words came out haltingly from Colette, and all eyes immediately snapped to her. Her face reddened slightly at the sudden attention, but she kept her gaze fixed on Lloyd. She forced herself to continue her question, to start the story that had kept them running across the world, kept them fighting against enemies they only just now began to understand. "But she was let go and made her way to Meltokio... Where were you?"

Lloyd flinched slightly at the reminder of losing Sheena, and though she was only out of arm's reach, she moved closer to him on instinct. He didn't look at her, hating to see the scars that still crisscrossed her arms and legs from the weeks of torture. Instead he stared down at the floor, and his voice was barely a whisper when he answered, "I thought she was dead. Tasogare... made me believe she was dead..." He couldn't finish the sentence, but the effect of his already spoken words went over his companions like ice water.

Colette looked to Sheena, who had folded her arms about herself and was looking out the window. Her eyes were clouded over with pain, and her teeth had grit together tightly in a grimace. When the angel glanced to Lloyd she saw a similar expression on his face, and it made her heart ache. 'That... had to be... so hard...'

"I thought she was dead... and Tasogare used that to make me obedient." Lloyd scowled down at nothing, spitting out the bitter words with more venom than he had ever used before. Her name alone made him want to snarl, but he forced himself to continue on with his explanation, "She threatened all of you, warning that if I didn't lead her to the caches of Exspheres that she'd kill you. She explained about the messages she'd sent... Seles, George, what happened in Ozette... and told me that they were as much for me as for you."

"An explanation of their reach in Aselia." Regal muttered with a dark frown pulling at his lips as the memory of finding George flared again to the forefront of his brain. He took the silence following the words to look about at his comrades, who were all momentarily lost in memory. Their pains had yet to even fade over into a scar, and he had begun to doubt if it ever would. "A lofty but dangerous threat."

"One that I wasn't about to challenge." Lloyd replied quietly, and with a downcast frown that had everyone shifting uncomfortably in reply. The speculations were confirmed, but the knowledge was not something they were glad to have. He turned away from them, focussing his eyes on something out the window that no one could see as he spoke aloud the knowledge no one else dared to. "I agreed to empty out the caches of Exspheres for them. It was why they'd captured the both of us, to see which one they could break into doing it... and they chose me."

"_Sheena would have died fighting you."_

Raine spoke again, and as before she managed to mask her emotions in her tone. Her eyes however burned with anger, with suspicion that she didn't let her heart curb. She kept the fond memories and feelings tucked away in her chest, refusing to let them rule her mind. She couldn't allow them to. "What happened in Palmacosta?"

Again the group as a whole shifted in discomfort. Colette's lips pursed into a thin line, and she turned her face away from Lloyd as the sight of her childhood friend killing Neil burst into her brain with a vengeance. It hurt her physically to think of it again, but she knew Raine was asking because it had to be explained. 'How... does someone explain away the murder of a friend...?'

"I killed Neil." Lloyd gave no hesitation in his answer this time, and no emotion crossed his face either when he did so. He looked down at the swords on his waist, and instinctively he reached to touch Flamberge which had done the deed in his hand. His fingers clenched into a tight fist, and he shook his head as he repeated weakly, painfully, "I... killed Neil. I was with Tasogare... making a raid on the Academy where Sheena and I had hidden twenty Exspheres... but the guards saw me. She was furious... and ordered me to go and kill all of the people who saw me... and that included Neil."

"Lloyd." Sheena rebuked him with a firm but forgiving voice, and she turned about to touch the hand that still rested on Flamberge's hilt. He said nothing in response, and the pain in his expression forced her to speak up for him though she had only learned the truth yesterday and still had yet to truly digest it. "Tasogare was controlling him when it happened. The same way that..." She faltered for a moment, her brain automatically pausing to keep the memories buried, but she soldiered on stubbornly for the sake of the swordsman beside her, "The same way that Mithos possessed me. It wasn't his fault."

"I couldn't stop myself. It was my fault." Lloyd shook his head, contesting her words tiredly but as firmly as she had to him. He took her hand and gently removed it from his, appreciating her willingness to come to his defence as much as it exasperated him. While he hated Tasogare and the role she had made him play, he still didn't deny the fact that he'd killed Neil even if under a form of possession. "I... didn't fight it. I thought it was a dream... and... Neil is dead because of me."

"Possession..." The word was sour on his lips, but Zelos narrowed his eyes as he thought back the angel he had fought in the Temple of Lightning. She had never used magic against him, though it had seemed at first when her daggers had crackled with electricity. He had discovered later that the weapons themselves were imbued with magical properties, leaving her to have been fighting as a human instead of a half-elf. He never would have guessed that the angel was capable of such feats. "Tasogare has that power?"

"Likely not." Raine answered instead of Lloyd, much to the surprise of the group. Lloyd looked at her in astonishment, but she avoided his stare as she pointed to the Cruxis Crystal that adorned the redheaded Chosen's hand and continued in a flat voice, "As we found with the former chief of Mizuho, Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals allow one to separate the body and soul with relative ease. However, as we also found with Mithos during his possession of Sheena..." She paused, looking over at the ninja who had seemingly turned to stone at the mention of the time lost inside of her own body. The professor nodded in apology, but continued on in the same logical tone, "One body is not made to hold two souls. The complete possession of another person, because of that, I believe is impossible."

"Raine is right. Lloyd remarked that he believed it to be a dream. Sheena also answered that her experience was akin to a nightmare. The power of the Crystal, of the soul, likely deludes the brain and makes it extremely difficult to act." Regal added on as he understood the meaning of his wife's words. He looked to Lloyd, and for the first time since he had seen the swordsman, a kind smile curled at his lips as he disagreed with the young swordsman's words, "The only way you could have fought the control of Tasogare would have been if you were aware of what was happening to you. You are not at fault for what happened to Neil."

Lloyd looked at the duke, scarcely able to believe the words he was hearing. He made to speak his name, confused and hesitant, but had no chance to as Presea stood up from her seat and joined Regal's side. Her eyes bore no more cold detachment now that the explanation had been made, and she smiled gently, painfully, as she nodded in reply to Lloyd's surprised stare. "I agree with Regal. It is... painful, that Neil is dead... but you are not responsible for it. How can you be, if you had no control over what you were doing?"

"Yeah. It'd be like blaming Sheena for going to Derris Kharlan when Mithos was possessing her. How can you blame someone who couldn't control themselves?"Genis agreed with a firm nod, and he too hopped down from the desk to stand beside Presea. Colette and Zelos joined him, both staring with firm resolution at Lloyd and that only bolstered his emotion. "Lloyd, the person responsible for Neil's death is Tasogare. Not you. We all think that."

"What has happened... has happened." Raine pushed herself up slowly from her seat, and she approached carefully and methodically. Her sharp eyes had become soft, and with a saddened smile she reached to touch her student fondly on the shoulder. He stood almost equal to her in height now, but still bowed with an ancient sadness she hated to see in him. "We don't blame you, Lloyd. Now that we know, and understand, it's impossible, and unjust of us to. We're glad to see you again, and to know that you're still alive."

Lloyd couldn't speak as he looked about as his friends, who now didn't stand in front of him but all around. Their eyes were pained, but they still smiled and welcomed him. Though they weren't the same group who had been brought together on the quest to regenerate the world, they were still friends. Still family. He had to close his eyes, fighting back the rush of emotion that threatened to choke him into submission. "I..."

"It's okay, Lloyd." Colette smiled gently, and she stepped forward and wrapped her arms firmly about his waist. He started a little, but she held on tight and pressed her face against his shoulder. She felt Genis moving too, then Zelos, and Sheena and finally the rest to round him close and put a hand on the swordsman who'd cemented them into a family. She felt him shaking gently with the weight of his emotion, and murmured, "You're back now. You're home."

"Y-Yeah..." Lloyd agreed quietly, shakily, as his eyes overflowed with the tears he couldn't stem. He wrapped his arms around those who stood closest, bringing them against him as their presence warmed and soothed his scarred heart. It'd been too long since he'd felt them so close, and now they seemed to refuse to leave again. He choked on his next words, overcome and finally relieved of the pain in his chest as he bowed his head against his best friend's neck and muttered hoarsely, "I'm... I'm home."

* * *

**Outer Iselia**

**Dirk's Home**

**Midnight**

"It's been awhile since we were back home, huh?" Lloyd chuckled quietly as he moved his fingers errantly through the thick fur between Noishe's long ears. The protozoan had proven himself inseparable from his companion once he'd caught the swordsman scent, and had made a spectacle of himself knocking Lloyd flat to the ground when he'd greeted him. Now at night, sitting together on the grass and watching the stars, Noishe had curled himself up possessively beside Lloyd and rested his head in his lap with a happy whine.

Noishe's tail thumped steadily on the ground, and he nuzzled against Lloyd's stomach as he too turned his gaze to the sky. Lloyd chuckled again, continuing to pat him in the same rhythm of Noishe's tail. The quiet atmosphere and the knowledge of his friends being so close left him content in a way he could only faintly remember before the days of capture months ago. It felt good to be home.

The thought made him rub awkwardly at his cheek, which had managed to attract another good punch from his father when he'd returned. The bruise from Sheena's punch had blossomed well, only to be layered again when Dirk had connected his hand with it before embracing him. The greeting had been furious, full of happiness but brief, as neither son or father had really known how best to phrase their delight at seeing each other again. He had been knocked over three times since returning to his family, but he didn't mind the pain that came with the pleasure.

"It's nice to be back..." Lloyd closed his eyes contentedly, and he combed continuously through Noishe's fur. The protozoan whined again at the attention, his tail thumping harder as he enjoyed the moment with his charge. He tried to remember how long it had been since he'd simply sat out under the stars, Noishe beside him as he savoured the peace of the world at night with no other thoughts to bother him. 'It has to have been awhile... Maybe the better part of a year...'

"I thought you'd be up."

Lloyd turned immediately at the soft voice, and Noishe jumped from his side so quickly that his rear paw hit him hard in the stomach. Doubling over with a groan, Lloyd rubbed at his sore stomach as the protozoan gleefully greeted the ninja who he'd thought was fast asleep inside of the house. He heard her laughing at him as she allowed Noishe to dance about her in a hyper display, but he tried to save his pride by not looking up and pretending as if he hadn't been injured at all.

His act however didn't fool the young woman who'd come out to join him, and she sat down beside him with a cheeky smile. Noishe plopped himself down by her side, curling beside her leg as if he'd forgotten his previous attachment to Lloyd. Tilting her head to the side, Sheena teased him playfully, "How's your stomach?"

"My stomach's fine, my pride has taken a beating though." Lloyd answered with a laugh. He leaned over Sheena, petting Noishe roughly between the ears as he scolded the protozoan, "Some faithful guy you are. You went and ditched me as soon as you realized Sheena was here!"

"He knows who the best is." Sheena answered with a laugh of her own, and she rolled her eyes when Lloyd stuck his tongue out at her in response. The levity felt new to her as familiar as it was, and she leaned into Noishe in response as a warm feeling grew in her chest. She'd been surprised to see him awake when she'd stirred from sleep, and out of instinct more than want she'd decided to come and join him.

Errantly she reached down to smooth the front of her thin shirt down as a cool breeze whispered through the trees and ruffled her already out of order hair. He wore similar clothing as she, loose and comfortable nightwear that allowed her to notice that while her arms carried several thin scars his were relatively unblemished. His hands were callused and rough from years of swordplay, and his knuckles carried scars from defeats and accidents, but from his wrists to shoulder he had little to show for his years of battle. The thought should have made her envious, but she was only glad that his body bore no marks as hers did.

Her feelings however were not shared, as Lloyd noticed her eyes gazing at his bared forearms to trace out any sign of scarring. His gaze narrowed as he looked to see the marks the handcuffs from their torture had remained on her wrists, and impulsively he reached forward to pull them closer for his examination. She started a bit, but after a moment she stayed still and let him trace the marking with a careful and gentle fingertip.

"They put me into a refresher after they took you away... and I had nothing to show for what they did." Lloyd spoke quietly, bitterly as he ran his finger carefully down her scarred wrist. The scar was red and ugly about her wrist, contrasting harshly with her pale skintone. He winced as he remembered that she bore a similar mark on her ankle, proof of the root of the Giant Tree trying to pull her into the abyss from the Tower of Salvation. "I'm sorry."

"For what? So I've got a few marks. Everyone does." Sheena waved away his apology, but she was grateful for his kindness anyway. He released her hand, and she folded them awkwardly into her lap as the memory of his touch warmed her skin. Her words were true enough, as everyone but Colette, Raine and Presea had been scarred permanently by the battles they'd lived through. "I don't even pay attention to them anymore, anyway. I'm pretty sure I've had scars all my life."

"Still, you're a girl..." Lloyd faltered at her sour expression, and he blushed as he tried to find a way to explain himself without insulting her further. She was a ninja first, a warrior, and no self-respecting warrior was concerned overly much of their scars. He placed a hand over his eyes, groaning as he realized he'd effectively buried his own grave. "I didn't mean... You know that I... Oh hell..."

Sheena tried to keep frowning at him, but the sound of his misery had her smiling again without much effort. He was too honest for his own good. Shaking her head, Sheena rested her weight on her hands as she leaned back to gaze up at the night sky as he had done when she'd come out to join him. Her voice was honest and gentle as she scolded him for his worry, "It's okay, I know what you meant. And I appreciate the gesture."

"I'm glad you do. For a second there I thought you were going to hit me again."

Though he meant the words in jest she frowned as she looked at the bruise she'd made on his face from her punch back in the temple. She lifted her hand without thinking, then caught herself before she could touch him. Blushing slightly and glad for the darkness to cover it, she put her hand back down and looked at her lap instead before he noticed her preoccupation. 'I feel a bit bad for doing that now... Considering all he's been through...'

"Hey..." Lloyd broke through her guilty thoughts, frowning as he looked intently at her in the darkness. Though it was difficult he knew she was frowning, and the sight brought one of his own to his face. She had turned her head, gazing out at the forest and he reached to brush her bangs away so he could better see her in the night. "Hey, what's wrong? Did I say something?"

Blushing ferociously under his touch but unable to move her head, Sheena kept her eyes on the ground as he brushed her bangs back behind her ear. She turned her face a bit to the side, as far away as she could manage without having his touch leave her skin. Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper when she finally spoke again, "I' m just... sorry... for hitting you."

Lloyd's eyes narrowed a little, and he paused for a moment as he tried to think of the best response to her apology. He was no good with words, and so he did the only thing he could think of. He wrapped his arm about her shoulders and pulled her against his chest before resting his chin on the top of her head. She started, a protest of his name on her lips before he cut her off with a firm, "Sheena. Don't be sorry. It's okay, really."

"B-But..." Stammering in embarrassment, Sheena felt the need to protest more but his hold was iron on her and she didn't really want him to let her go. She couldn't relax though, as his hold was foreign and even if she did enjoy it she wasn't sure how to respond to it. He'd hugged her hard inside of the temple, but it was an embrace of tumultuous emotion. Of a fierce need they couldn't deny now that they were so close. It was different in the darkness, when they were so much more settled. "Lloyd..."

Lloyd didn't let her go though her voice was shaking in embarrassment and anxiousness. Instead his arm tightened about her as the memories of his time without her, his time when he thought her dead nearly drowned out his thought of the present. He hadn't dared give voice to his emotions for her, but he was sorely tempted to now. The words caught in his throat though, and he knew without knowing it wasn't the time.

Still. The emotions demanded action, even if he didn't know how. He let out a bark of a sigh and shook his head before burying his face against her hair. She jumped again, unused to such physical signs of affection, but he still didn't let go. His other arm had wound about her now, keeping her pinned to his chest. His voice was hoarse and the words shaky and clumsy when he began to speak again. "Look, I... I never got to... Before, when... You were... And I..."

The words were a jumble of nonsense, but behind them was an earnestness that made it through the inability to speak. Sheena slowly pulled away, and he let her go willingly but she didn't let his arms go far enough to drop from about her. She understood what he was trying to say, or at least, she hoped she knew what his message was. Her mouth was dry and heart racing, but her lips pulled back into a tiny and timid smile as she raised her face to meet his eyes. "Lloyd..."

Abruptly his face burned red, and Lloyd realized exactly what he was doing and the position he'd put himself in. He wanted to drop his hold on her like a hot coal, but his arms were lead and refused to respond to his mind. Her tawny gaze held him, trapping him into motionlessness and thoughtlessness. He didn't know how to speak, or what to say even if he could. He was in a new world that he didn't understand. "I'm sorry, I don't–"

"Be quiet." Sheena admonished him softly, her voice like silk as she lifted her chin and leaned in close. Her eyes closed and her hands snaked up to curl about his shoulders as their lips met in a gentle kiss. His mind went blank as he pressed herself against him inside of his arms, and the hold tightened automatically when her fingers stroked the back of his neck in a ghost of a caress.

Her lips were soft as they brushed against his, leaving him unable to react when she pushed forward a little bit more in a show of uncharacteristic bravery. His own eyes fluttered closed when she did so, and he tilted his head down to better feel the kiss. She murmured softly in approval, stroking the back of his neck slowly, methodically when he moved in even closer.

Instinct took over, and his hands raised from her shoulders to cup the sides of her face as she parted his lips with her tongue. Something hot grew in his stomach when he responded to her initiative with his own, eliciting a soft sigh of pleasure. She pulled away first as she felt her hands moving to tangle in his hair without her consent, and her face burned like a lit firefly in the darkness.

Their arms remained wrapped around the other, their foreheads touching as they took in long and deep breaths to recover. Sheena was aware of a small and silly smile turning her lips upwards, but she was pleased to see that a similar expression adorned his face. She closed her eyes for a long moment and then whispered when she opened them to see him staring at her, "I think I understand."

Lloyd laughed quietly, and he moved one hand from her shoulder to caress the shape of her cheek. She was grinning at him now, happy and confident again and it gladdened him enough to hurt his heart. She leaned into his touch, and he had to resist the urge to kiss her again. "That's good. I didn't think I was making a whole lot of sense."

"You weren't."

At that Lloyd lost the battle and he learned forward to capture her laughing mouth in another kiss. She was still giggling as she wrapped her arms about him to fully pull him down against her, but he didn't mind. He leaned forward into her, trying to stifle chuckles of his own when her lips moulded firmly against his like they always belonged there. Her fingers again curled into his hair, keeping him secured where he was as his held her firm by the shoulders as her lips once more parted for him.

Lloyd wasn't sure what he would have done next as she yanked him down roughly when his tongue touched hers, but he didn't get the chance to find out as a furious growling was set up from behind them. The two warriors pulled apart in surprise, only to see Noishe snarling and growling in the direction of the wooded path that led from Iselia.

The two reacted as one, moving to their feet and standing on either side of the protozoan who had set up the outcry. Lloyd's hand closed on Flamberge which he had brought out with him as he always did, while Sheena pulled three of her own sharpened cards from their hidden home on her waist. They stood at the ready, eyes narrowed and weapons held at the ready for battle.

From the shadows came a figure Lloyd recognized immediately, but he never slackened his stance. Sheena uttered a low oath of fury as she too understood who had come, but Lloyd placed a careful hand on her wrist before she could move forward to meet the cloaked angel. He spoke for both of them, his voice a growl of menace that matched close with Noishe's purely animalistic anger, "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Bandaged hands reached up to lower her cowl, and Tasogare's golden eyes reflected no emotion as she looked at the battle ready trio. She was scowling, a dark and angry expression as she adjusted her cloak to better leave her arms free. She spoke directly to Lloyd, ignoring Sheena and Noishe entirely as her voice dripped with sarcasm and annoyance, "Believe me when I say I have no enjoyment in seeking you out either."

"So why did you?" Lloyd challenged her coldly, and he felt Sheena shifting as if she was preparing to leap. Noishe, too, had settled into a more threatening position, leaving Lloyd to try and defuse them while holding his own position. None of them could afford a battle to break out, as he knew from her expression that she would not hold back.

"Exire is to fall in six hours time, and if you do not aid me, there will be no stopping it."

**AN:**

**Holy shit, how long as it been since I updated? Ages, I'm sure. I got hit with the urge to write again two days ago and cranked out the rest of the chapter within that time period... To put in perspective how much I've written in two days time, I was still with Colette and Zelos when I hit my block. I feel so fulfilled at the moment. XD**

**I warned you that I'd have fluff for you guys. And I do my fluff like I do my plot. BIG. :3 Of course, I couldn't dedicate an entire chapter to fluff since plot is involved... but then again, this chapter kind of a bit of a flashback chapter. I wanted to extrapolate a bit more on Lloyd's explanation to the group, but it didn't end up going the way I planned it to... I decided to stick with what I'd written though, as it made sense to me and flowed the way I liked it. Always best to stick with the gut!**

**Anyway, it's been a long time, but I can't promise when I'll be updating again. I have a Higurashi story on hold that I know has been getting bombarded with pleas to continue, but... Well, my muse is more focussed on the Tales universe at the moment, and my personal life is crap, which makes writing just not happen. I apologize for the hefty wait, thank you for sticking with me, and hope to see you guys again soon!**

**Mood: Amused/Entertained**

**Listening To: "Won't Get Fooled Again" - The Who**

**~ Sky**


	29. Trials of Faith

**Outside Iselia**  
**Dirk's Home**  
**Midnight**

Several questions spun in Lloyd's brain at the dark warning Tasogare spoke, but nothing came from his mouth as he tried to digest the information. He couldn't imagine how a floating city, kept aloft by the power of a Summon Spirit could be brought crashing down by any force. From the look of astonishment on Sheena's face, he knew his feelings were shared.

Tasogare stood in silence, seemingly impatient for him to recover his tongue but also not wanting to begin speaking again. As he looked closer at her now that she had opened her cloak, he noticed that she wore a lattice of bandages on both arms. Underneath her customary chainmail vest even more bandages peeked out, showcasing her tense posture wasn't just due to her dire news but a score of fresh injuries.

Sheena managed to recover first, her eyes narrowing as she searched herself for the mana of Maxwell. The Summon Spirit responded to her inward search, letting her know that he indeed was still within her and that their vow to keep Exire in the city was not broken. Not understanding what could possibly threaten the half-elven haven, Sheena crossed her arms over her stomach and demanded in a growl, "How can Exire be taken out of the sky? Maxwell and I still have a vow."

"While your vow with the Summon Spirit remains intact, outside forces can overpower that vow." Tasogare shook her head at the question, and her golden eyes flared when they met the cold tawny of the summoner's. The angel looked away first, seemingly bored, and turned her gaze back to Lloyd who had turned stiff as she explained flatly, "Thor's Hammer is still functioning."

"The Mana Cannon?" Lloyd felt the blood drain from his face in shock at the words, and he felt Sheena's tense posture slackening as the realization crashed on her too. He floundered for a split moment, lost in the horror that the Mana Cannon could unleash if fired on Exire. He found a fleeting hope, remembering the forces that Yuan had dispatched about Aselia in an attempt to keep the peace again once the Desian horde had scattered."But the Renegades! They had a force patrolling that area! There's no way they'd fire the cannon!"

"It won't be the Renegades."

The five words dashed whatever hope Lloyd had left, and he felt his entire body lose the strength in his limbs. He knew what she was inferring as soon as she'd corrected him, and the thought left him sick to his stomach. A bitter hatred welled in his blood, and he spat out the name of the angel who he knew without a doubt had thrown the world into peril again. "Auin."

"If it weren't for lack of mirth, I would praise you for jumping to the conclusion so quickly." Tasogare's smile held absolutely no positive emotion, and absently she reached to brush the blood from her cheek away on the back of her bandaged hand. Sheena bristled at her cold words, but the angel thoroughly ignored the summoner as one would a blade of grass. "The Renegades posted little more than a handful of guards about the island, and they were no match for Auin's garrison of men. Control was wrested within a short hour. The cannon is fully functional, and as I said, in less than six hours, it shall be fired on Exire. From its current position... it will fall on Heimdall, and obliterate the settlements of elves and half-elves in one fell stroke."

"Exire and Heimdall...?" A brutal wave of cold filled the summoner from the head to her toes, and she curled her hands into fists as she remembered well the devastation Heimdall had already suffered through. The elven village had only just managed to finish rebuilding, to begin to flourish once more. Then to have Exire, a city of half-elves who had found peace and happiness in solitude, fall from the sky... "Why...?" The word escaped her though she already knew the answer, and she shook her head as she repeated softly, "Why?"

"There is no need to know the answer to that. It will not stop what is to come. All there is to know is that it must be stopped." Tasogare dismissed the question with a small, almost impossible to see shake of her head. She looked from Sheena to Lloyd, who had grown tense once again, coiling like a spring ready to be launched. He asked the question she had already anticipated on his lips, and couldn't help but smirk when he did.

"What do we need to do?"

"I am surprised you are so quick to trust me."

"I don't trust you." The answer was cold, as sharp as the swords he carried when he shot it back the second she finished her dry retort to his question. Lloyd's adust eyes burned with hatred and anger in the darkness, but he remained where he stood and merely crossed his arms instead of drawing Flamberge as his hands demanded he do. "I won't ever trust you. I already know you won't do anything that doesn't benefit you in some way, and though I don't know how saving Exire or Heimdall will benefit you... I still won't turn away from any chance there is to stop what's about to happen. Neither will my friends."

Tasogare laughed quietly, the sound derisive and dismissive at the same time. He had spoken to her once already of honour and integrity, and she had no respect for the noble thoughts. They were useless idealises. Still she knew it would be a waste of precious time to mock him for it, and so she ignored the trifling urge and instead moved back to the matter at hand. "Then we are in agreement, as small and shaky as it may be."

"We won't be able to get to the Mana Cannon in time to stop it. And from what you just said, we wouldn't have the fighting force to take it back anyway." Sheena broke in as she realized Lloyd was ready to take a step towards her to possibly start a fight. She was a bit bemused by how quickly Tasogare could break his temper, but she already could see that it was likely just a quality the angel had spent a long time perfecting. Even Raine had admitted that the angel simply had a way of getting underneath other's skins without much effort. Sheena adjusted her posture slightly, and tilted her head as she questioned the angel bluntly, "What's your plan, then? You said you needed our help to do it, and for now, you've got it. Tell us what it is."

"It will not be without risk." Though the words sounded like a warning on their own, the inflection behind them was dead. The angel seemed to have no care of risk. It was not hers to make. For the first time she gave Sheena her entire attention, and the summoner for her credit met her stare equally. The Mana Cannon is a powerful force, as I'm sure you are well aware. However this blow will be concentrated mana alone, not influenced by the power of the Summon Spirits. This makes it all the more deadly and harder to deflect, but deflect it is was we must do."

"Is that even possible?" Lloyd looked to Sheena, who had begun to scowl as she remembered using the Mana Cannon to neutralize the Giant Tree almost two and a half years ago. She had described the power of the cannon to be terrifying, and they had all seen how much ruin it had caused even though the Tree had been destroyed. The power was a double-edged sword, and one they had been loathe to use.

"It isn't impossible."

Sheena and Lloyd turned as one, startled when Raine's voice came from behind them. Even Tasogare raised an eyebrow, having not seen the half-elven professor stirring in the shadow Dirk's home made in the already black night. The professor ignored the confused and somewhat abashed gazes of her students, and walked out calmly to meet them at the edge of the clearing made for the home. Even wearing a thin nightgown and little else she stood tall and foreboding, as she leaned slightly against her Crystal Rod while looking square at the angel who had arrived with the news.

Her eyes glinted somewhat though her expression was perfectly neutral, and one hand firmly clasped about the rod's thin body when she came to a stop. Raine spoke directly to Tasogare now though she answered Lloyd's question, "While my speciality lies in healing artes... I do think I can understand what idea you are considering using. The power of the Mana Cannon will be focussed before it hits its target, a thin beam of pure and concentrated mana... You believe this can be deflected into another direction if the Summon Spirits are used, don't you?"

"Deflected, or hopefully absorbed entirely." Tasogare replied, and for the first time a certain degree of respect came into her voice as she gave the professor an acknowledging nod. She admitted without shame or vanity as she waved an errant hand, "I am no scholar. The power of Summon Spirits are beyond me. What I do know is they are mana. Their power may make it possible."

"The idea has merit. I would prefer more time to devise a real strategy, but it sounds as if time is against us." Raine shook her head a little, and again met Tasogare's unexpressive gaze. She knew she would find no truth in it, but habit forced her to try and gleam out every bit of information she could. She may as well have been staring at a rock however for all the answer Tasogare betrayed. She crossed her arms over her stomach, taking care to level her staff against her shoulder in case she had need to use it immediately. While she was willing to put her faith in the warning the angel was given, she still wouldn't give Tasogare her back. Still, she closed her eyes slightly as she began to think, speaking aloud as she cast away the ideas as quickly as they came to her, "It would be impossible to try and shield Exire in its entirety. Any barrier erected by the Summon Spirits would likely be interrupted by the influx of mana from the cannon, and Exire would still fall. Absorption is likely out of the question as well. The Mana Cannon has no influence of elemental attributes, and while Origin and Maxwell are both strong Summon Spirits in their own right... the blast is too focussed to hope to take in so quickly. Deflection is likely our only option, however this would require perfect timing and angling in order to deviate the blast."

The professor began to pace, ignoring those about her completely as she continued to think. She could feel the baffled gazes of Lloyd and Sheena on her, but they contrasted harshly with the coldly analytical one of the angel who had handed off the burden. She had a feeling that though Tasogare had denied great knowledge of the Summon Spirits that she'd had some sort of idea of what to do. It was almost as if she was denying responsibility if anything went wrong, which there was a great chance of. Raine wished she had a chance to truly give the sword-carrying angel what was coming to her, but she had little choice but to trust her and try to save her homeland, and the haven of half-elves.

Her voice was slower now, as an idea began taking shape in her brain. She continued to talk aloud as she paced, the even sounds of her footfall giving her a semblance of time and rhythm. "Having it redirected into the ocean is out of the question. The tsunamis caused by it would wipe Iselia in the very least from the map. That sort of repercussion would make saving Exire pointless. Saving one settlement to have another destroyed is not the answer... A small, well-placed and well-reinforced shield however may be."

"Shields take the brunt of attacks, they don't redirect them." Lloyd disagreed with a shake of his head and speaking up for the first time. Everyone turned to look at him in surprise, but he ignored them as he soldiered one, "What we need is a mirror. Something that will reflect it, but in the direction we want. A shield would be useless."

Raine smiled a little, both amused and impressed that Lloyd had yet again followed her musings and made a correction. She noted though with a bit of sadness that his knowledge was not something spur of the moment or instinctual, but cold and hard-attained. He had grown into a tougher young man than she had first thought, and it hurt her to imagine the pain and betrayal that had made him so. She nodded to him, and then looked at Sheena who had been listening intently but with a growing scowl."Yes, a mirror would be best. However, this brings us full circle, and back to the risk. While we think a mirror is the best course of action... we have no proof it will work. If it fails, or if our calculations are off..." She tried to mince no words, but the thought of what could happen if the odds were against them made her falter at the end. She glanced down at her feet, unable to continue looking at the ninja who would not argue the idea. Who would go willingly whatever the odds or the risk because she was too much like the young man she'd fallen in love with.

Sheena however had no such compunctions as Raine, and her voice was perfectly even when she finished Raine's thought, just as Colette had done years ago on the diagnosis of her toxicosis. "The Summon Spirits will be unable to hold, Exire would fall, and the summoner would be grievously wounded or die in the process."

Lloyd went stiff, and for a heart-stopping moment he was back in the prison watching helplessly as Sheena was taken away from him. Instinctively he opened his mouth to object to their plan, but his mind refused to obey the knee-jerk response. Their entire journey had been dangerous, and everyone had risked their lives more than once to keep going. It was nothing new that someone was going to do something that could get them killed, but the logic didn't agree with his heart, as sound as it was.

He looked to his side where Sheena was standing, but she was stubbornly not meeting his gaze. Her arms were wrapped about herself and her lips pursed into a frown, but there was no other hint of emotion to her. Her face had become a blank slate, which worried him more than if she actually had looked worried. This time he couldn't stop himself, and he shook his head as he rounded on Raine and Tasogare, "Wait, why does it have to be Sheena? Couldn't I do it? The Eternal Sword–"

"Absolutely not."

"No."

The two denials came at once, surprising both Lloyd and Sheena as much as it did Raine. The professor turned to look at Tasogare, who again showed no emotion as she shook her head. Raine narrowed her eyes on the angel, but decided it was best she make no remark until the first had made her statement.

"The Eternal Sword is indeed powerful, and could, perhaps, perform the feat you wish. However, the Sword itself is only as strong and as practised as its wielder, and you are not up to the task." Tasogare spoke calmly despite her fighting words, and she fixed Lloyd in her cold stare as she continued flatly, "You have been bonded to the Sword for more over two years, and I suspect you have had little need to use it in its true form until the breaking of the seals. Considering your current level of practise and control, the Sword would be more detrimental than of help. It took well over a thousand years before Yggdrasil himself had full control of the power of the Eternal Sword. You fall well short of the mark." She paused then, her barbs buried, and then surprised him greatly with her last words, "Additionally... To put you in such a perilous position in the first place would be simple folly."

Lloyd took a moment to absorb her insults, but even with all of his stubbornness he couldn't deny the truth behind them. He could only sense the Eternal Sword's great power, and had never once tried to tap into it. It worried him, the things he could do with such law-defying strength, and so he had curbed his urges and at no time tried to use it. Still, her last words angered him more than anything else she had said, and he took a threatening step forward as he asked in a low growl, "Are you telling me that you can risk Sheena dying but you can't risk that from me?"

The answer came from Raine, who met his gaze with sympathy but the same type of logic he despised to see in anyone's face. She stepped forward as well, raising a hand in a gesture of peace to stop him while likewise casting a tired look in Tasogare's general direction. Her tone was more gentle, but still firm when she sighed, "That's exactly what she's saying. And I agree with her. At this moment, we cannot risk you, Lloyd. You are the only one we can trust to defeat Yggdrasil once again, and that means we must keep you alive. This risk is something we cannot allow you to take."

"That's bullshit. My life doesn't mean more or less–!" Lloyd snapped in reply only to be cut off when Sheena took him by the shoulder and gave it a painfully firm squeeze. He stopped mid-word, turning to look at her in surprise and she shook her head. She glanced at Raine almost apologetically, then moved her hand down Lloyd's arm until she had him by the wrist. Without looking at anyone else she walked away from the house and into the forest, pulling him insistently along behind her.

Lloyd followed her robotically, anger threatening to bubble over with every step she led him further into the tree-shielded area. He could hear Noishe ambling behind as always, never letting them leave his sight, but he cared little about the protozoan. His attention was on the girl who seemed too eager to risk her life again. She finally came to a stop at the crest of the hill, and released her hold on him, but she walked a few more paces ahead and gave him her back.

He didn't speak, knowing that if he did she would cut him off if he did so. Instead he stood back and let her gather her thoughts, though it killed him to wait as he did. Folding his arms over his chest he took in a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves as he wondered what else Tasogare and Raine would speak of while they were gone. It annoyed him more than he thought it would having is professor agree with the angel, though he knew it was always possible. Tasogare's cold logic matched well with Raine's, though the half-elven professor only played the advocate of the devil because no one else would. Tasogare simply was the devil for no reason other than it was who she was.

His angry musing was stopped short like his words just earlier when Sheena let out a long sigh in front of him. His eyes snapped up from the ground but she still hadn't turned to face him yet. Instead she slumped in on herself and was looking in the other direction, making him have to fight the urge to seize her and turn her around by force. He began quietly, pleadingly as she still refused to turn, "Sheena–"

"I want to do this. And I'm going to. No one but me can do it." Sheena turned about and fixed him in her sharp tawny gaze that brooked no arguments. She shook her head and let out another sigh, but the firmness in her gaze never once vanished. "We've done a lot of risky and stupid things. This is just one more stupid and risky thing to add to the list. Even you can't argue with that."

"Hell yes, I–" Lloyd began with any angry snort but the emotion behind the words faded when Sheena met his glare head-on. She was simply too stubborn for him. He let himself slump as he crossed his arms over his chest, wondering when she had been able to actually make him listen to her. "Sheena..."

"Are you going to tell me you don't think I can do it?"

Lloyd balked at her sharp words, instantly taking a step back and raising his hands in a defensive gesture. He realized with a painful lurch that his insistence at keeping her out of it could have been interpreted as lack of confidence in her. Paling a little he took one more step back as he hastened to assure her, "No, no! That's not it at all! I'm just–"

He was cut off again when she followed his retreat and locked her arms about his waist in a firm hug. Startled by the sudden change, Lloyd's arms dropped limply back to his sides before she knocked her forehead against his shoulder. Her voice was muffled by his shirt, but the words were clear enough when she muttered, "There's no point in worrying. We do life-threatening things on a daily basis. It's just what we do. If you break everything down and worry about every little step, we'll never get anywhere. Besides... this isn't like you. You've never hesitated before. Don't start now."

"B-But..." The words he wanted to say wouldn't come out, whether because his throat was too tight or his mind was telling him it wasn't the time. He doubted he would get them right anyway, as his brain never did seem to function properly around her in the first place. All he could do was return her hug, knowing as always that she was right. They were warriors. He couldn't even count how many times he had been at the point of an enemy's weapon, how many battles he and his friends had fought and won during their journeying. They made a life out of danger. Risk was as familiar to him as breathing.

"I thought I'd lost you already."

Swallowing down the hard feelings took more effort than he would have liked, but Lloyd forced himself to do so. He had no intention of ever going through the same pain he had again when he'd thought her dead, but he also couldn't put her in a bubble and leave her there to keep her safe. He'd made the mistake before of trying to smother Colette into safety, but she was every bit as stubborn as Sheena and wouldn't stand for it. They all fought together, or not at all. He couldn't injure her pride by trying to be her personal hero. She'd only hate him for it.

The thought hurt more than he thought it would, causing him to wrap his arms about her waist and pulling her further into his chest. There were simply too many things to think about, to feel, to experience. It was just too much. A weak laugh escaped him as he realized again she was right about overanalysing things. Another change he had made, and one he didn't welcome. "Damn... I'm really not the same person anymore, am I?"

"No." Sheena's voice was hard in her agreement, but instead of releasing him she gripped all the tighter and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. Her tawny eyes glinted with steely resolve as she reminded him firmly, "But then again, nobody is. All of us are different people from when we first met and journeyed together. It's what happens in life. We grow."

"You've gotten really wise." Lloyd remarked with another chuckle, and she rolled her eyes at his jest and gave him a fond whack to the shoulder. He smiled a little, allowing the levity to ease his stress, if only a little. He still didn't want her to go out there, to risk her life for something that may not work, but he understood better why he had to let her. For himself, and for her. He pulled away fully, and scowled in defiance as he relented halfway to her, "I'm going to go up with you, in case something goes wrong. I don't care what Tasogare or Raine say about the Eternal Sword. If I can do something, I'm going to do it. Okay?"

"Don't ask me, I'm not the leader. That's your job." Sheena grinned mischievously at his defiant attitude, and she felt her own anxiety melting away in the face of the old Lloyd. The one who did what he pleased and didn't care who argued against his actions. He did what he felt was right and let no one else tell him otherwise. "If you decide you want to do something, you do it. No one can argue with you."

"Good." Lloyd nodded in affirmation, feeling his pride swell just a little bit under Sheena's teasing flattery. He turned his head back in the direction of Dirk's, and a frown spread on his lips as he thought of his professor and the angel who were likely still in conversation about the planned attack and their defensive action. His words about trusting the angel were still true, but he didn't deny that he'd heard honesty in her voice when she'd spoken of the Mana Cannon and Auin's involvement. The truth however only made him dislike her more, as he failed to see her motives in defending Exire and Heimdall. His voice fell to a dark mutter as he wondered what the degree of planning between the two half-elven women was, "I still don't trust her as far as I can throw her... I can't help wondering what's in it for her."

"She wouldn't tell us." Sheena said dismissively, but the scowl on her face proved that she was as suspicious as he was. She glanced over in the same direction as he, as if she could hope to see them discussing their plans even though it was impossible. "She might be able to use the leaders by saving the cities. But I really doubt the Elder would take orders from a half-elf, even if she did save the village. He still was iffy over Genis being in the village a few months back."

"Figures he would be." Lloyd grunted unhappily at the thought of Genis still getting the cold shoulder in Heimdall after all the effort his friend had put into helping with the rebuilding efforts. He let out another long sigh, musing that the entire night had been full of them before nodding to the well-trodden path back. "I guess we should head back. Professor probably has a full plan written out by now, knowing her."

"Probably." Again her flat tone was belied by the look of annoyance on her face, but she made no further attempt to comment. Hugging herself about the middle, Sheena began to trudge back from where they had came only to be stopped when Lloyd put his hand over her wrist. Blinking a little in confusion, Sheena stood still, watching silently as he unravelled her arms and then took her hand in his before walking again.

Face reddening, Sheena allowed herself to be led back almost the same way they had left. Lloyd didn't seem to notice her embarrassment, something she thanked the gods for while also wishing she could trip him sometime in the darkness. Still, when his fingers gave hers a little squeeze, a gentle smile curled her lips upwards in happiness. It may have been awkward, maybe too soon, but Sheena wasn't about to protest. She needed it to have the courage to face what was waiting back for them at Dirk's home.

* * *

**Southern Iselian Plains**  
**Early Dawn**

There was terse silence in the little glade where the nine had set up their impromptu base of operations, and their eyes turned sky where Exire floated lazily far above. Heimdall they knew rested much farther from it, however from their long and detailed discussion they all knew without doubt that when the Mana Cannon struck Exire would fall directly onto the elven village. They had been made aware that Heimdall in the least may have been evacuated, but none of them were willing to put a single piece of Gald on the bet.

Genis had said firmly, without bitterness and without mirth that the Storyteller may have had some sway in Heimdall that even he wouldn't be able to convince them to leave their village. Most would stay, resolute and reckless to the last, refusing to give up their tradition even if it meant their lives. The few who fled would have a chance of surviving if they could not stop Exire from falling, but even that was slim. The damage done would be irreversible, scarring the continent thousands of years into the future. Many more than just half-elves and elves would die if Exire fell.

Sheena continued to finger the bell that hung about her neck, silent as she gazed restlessly up at the clouds where soon she'd be flying. The mirror she was to create couldn't be made on the ground, and after a long hour of deliberation Raine had finally selected the area above the glade to be their best bet considering their lack of time. Sheena would be up on her Rheaird, with Lloyd and Raine flying well below in case they were needed while the rest of the team waited on the ground, their own Rheairds ready in case they could not prevent the fall. They would speed to Heimdall, to aid as best they could if things went wrong, though even they knew there'd be little that could be done.

The ninja's eyes flickered to her right as she corrected herself that not everyone would be flying to Heimdall if they failed in stopping Exire from falling. All but Tasogare would go.

Sheena still wasn't sure what would become of the angel if they failed, but she didn't want to think of it. She didn't even want to think of what would happen if they succeeded. The warning they had been given still frightened the wits out of most of them, though she knew for a fact Raine, Regal and Zelos were still sceptical. They took no chances though with their prisoner, and had bound the angel's hands behind her back and relieved her of all of her weapons but the sword on her hip. Lloyd had warned them not to touch it, and without further argument they agreed. No one liked the look of the blade, and nobody had really wanted to take it from her anyway.

For her part, the angel had remained standing in the glade, her eyes focussed on the out of sight island that held the Mana Cannon. She had allowed them with a strangely exasperated grace to bind her hands and feet, to take her weapons and be held hostage, but they all knew it was still a farce. They needed her, and she knew it, which made it all the harder to do what they had to.

Zelos though hadn't taken to her with such grace, and he'd told her in no uncertain terms that if her warning was false, or if something went awry he'd be the one to kill her. She had looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and then glanced to Lloyd, who had turned his head away. Then she had smiled, a cold and amused smile as she repeated what she had told him when they'd fought in the Temple of Lightning.

"Unfortunately for you, Wilder, someone else has already staked a claim to my life."

That had been the end of the conversation in the glade, and everyone had fallen silent, locked in their own thoughts and wondering. Time had run out for them to go over the plan again, to modify it, and now all that was left was to wait. There was a horrible feeling of helplessness that consumed the group, helplessness and anxiety as the clock ticked down to either doom or a miracle.

"If I don't get moving now, I'm going to go nuts." Lloyd finally broke the spell with an annoyed grunt and a voice of acid, but somehow his words brought everyone to an odd sort of laughter.

Genis had bowed his head, holding a hand over his mouth as he snorted with mirth, while Presea had to curl her lips together so her smile would not show. Regal had laughed once, a short sound that he almost seemed embarrassed by, as Raine snickered and shook her head. Sheena did laugh outright, though her nerves seemed shattered as she did so. Colette giggled, but as with Zelos the sound was hallow. Anxious and full of frayed nerves and tension. Only Tasogare betrayed no emotions, but stood with her hands tied behind her back and continued her mindless stare, oblivious to the world about her.

Still, Lloyd handled his Wing Pack with perfect expertise and glanced over at Raine and Sheena who both met his gaze with steely determination. He was tired of waiting, of the pressure of silence. He popped the catch of the tiny box that held his red machine and said firmly, "Let's get moving."

Sheena was up first, as per the plan with Lloyd and Raine quickly following her upwards. Soon to those on the ground the three fliers became blurs in the morning air, and the heros' eyes had turned up to follow their progress. Colette chewed on her lower lip, and she whispered softly as she watched one blur move higher than the others, "Martel, please keep them safe..."

The sentiment was echoed in silence around the half-circle that watched them climb higher into the sky, all save for the angel who still had her gaze pointed due south-east. Her body tensed at the same time Colette whipped her head in that same direction, and the two spoke in perfect unison, one low and one high voice contrasting in harmony, "It's time."

High above them, now in a dizzying spiral Sheena continued to climb. Her body revolted against her speed, but the ninja ignored it. Raine had been specific when she had outlined the plan hours ago, and despite her discomfort Sheena was going to follow it to the letter.

Raine stared down at her scattered notes and diagrams, but the focus in her gaze wasn't there. Instead it was internalized, as if the professor was seeing the situation within her mind's eye and plotting every single thing inside of the image there. Her voice was firm though as she explained, her fingers curling impulsively about the hems of her robe's sleeves, "The higher you are the safer it will be for those on the ground when the Mana Cannon's energy meets the mirror. It will not instantly deflect, and the ensuing shockwave could very will kill anyone within a close range. Lloyd and I will fly as high as possible below you, but even I can't guess how far the repercussion will reach."

"That makes me feel a lot safer." Sheena grunted sarcastically, but the moment the words left her mouth she felt guilt for her complaint. She would be behind the protective barrier of the mirror, if it held, but she cast the thought away as quickly as it'd come. There was no point thinking about the what-ifs. She had to pay close attention, and asked, "What if the backlash hits you? You could end up losing control, or worse, get knocked right off your Rheairds."

"And if you end up being unable to handle the burden of deflecting the Mana Cannon, you'll have a long time to wish one of us were flying below you to catch you before you hit the ground. If we came up from the ground we'd end up either stopping you so quickly you die from whiplash, or being too late altogether to intercept you when you fall." Raine minced no words, and Sheena flinched as she imagined the final sensation of something snapping, ending her life so abruptly she would have no time to even notice she was dead. "It is a risk, yes, but a necessary one. I'd prefer Lloyd remained on the ground too, but he won't budge and I know better than to try and make him. So, for everyone's sake, don't mess up."

"You really know how to inspire confidence."

The sarcastic but still gentle words Sheena had ended the discussion with had left a little smile on Raine's face, and they echoed in her ears now as she came to a halt in the sky. Her ears thrummed disapprovingly at the height she'd attained, and her stomach had started flipping again but she stored away the sensations for later. Now, from her vantage point high in the air, she could see what the angels on the ground had begun to sense.

Far off, still too far for her eyes to make out in detail, the lone tower on the island had begun to shine. She remembered being on the opposite end of that shine as if it was yesterday, and her teeth grit together as the light grew brighter and brighter, becoming a miniature sun on the planet. The sheer power being amassed caused the air around her to grow still as her senses automatically sharpened with her burst of adrenalin and fear. 'This is it...'

She would not wait for the tower to flash, as she knew better than anyone how quickly that mass of mana would reach them and cause it to be too late. But she would not start too soon, as she needed every ounce of mana her body possessed to pull off this insane miracle. Firing the Mana Cannon itself had thrown her into a near-coma from mana deprivation, and she knew well that deflecting the blast would do the same.

The cannon began to pulse, readying itself for the final blow. Sheena remembered the countdown well, and without dropping her gaze from the tower she flicked the auto-pilot controls of her Rheaird on. She would need her hands free for this, though she disliked having her Rheaird out of her control. The pulsing was slow, and she waited until it had done so five times before she closed her eyes and began to focus on the mana that welled within her, separate from her but bound as much as her genetic code was.

Her voice was low and firm, layered with the power that flooded her blood and electrocuted her very cells with the elements she began to call upon as only a summoner could. The words flowed from her lips with practised ease, though what she called upon them to do was something she'd never once tried. "I call upon the envoy from the dark abyss... The light of the heavens... Ancient ruler of the elements... and the source of heaven, earth and everything in between... I summon thee, Shadow, Luna, Aska, Maxwell and Origin!"

As they appeared, one by one in four corners of the square Sheena had imagined them in, she called out her orders for them. "Shadow, I need a wall. Luna, you and Aska sandwich that wall with two of your own. Origin, make sure their mana doesn't mix, and add your own wall to it. Maxwell, keep it all together and don't let it drop. No matter what, don't let it drop."

It seemed too simple for her, but she trusted in Raine's plan. Light and Darkness held no real sway in the purely elemental components that would make up most of the mana cannon's force and Origin and Maxwell were not bound by any elements to serve their power. The cannon, according to Tasogare's information, had been siphoning off the world's mana in a slow continuous charge. Sheena knew well the make-up of mana distribution in the world when it came to the Summon Spirits, and Light and Darkness rarely influenced the natural balance. Origin and Maxwell would serve her well to give the barrier the brute strength necessary to deflect the Mana Cannon's charge, while Shadow, Luna and Aska would provide a solid foundation.

The mirror would hold.

"This is all theory, Sheena. No one has substantiated the claims that Luna, Aska and Shadow don't really have a strong foothold in the balance of the Summon Spirits."

"Then I guess I'll be the first."

As she had predicted, the Mana Cannon's pulsing grew faster as she had performed the first part of her mission. As the mirror itself took form, the light from the cannon ceased pulsing and then grew brilliant. The tower that housed the cannon seemed to shrink in on itself, before the light exploded out in the beam of concentrated mana that had given it its name.

It was a snake crossing through the air, speeding hungrily towards the target of Exire floating unaware in the morning sky. The air seemed to part for the leviathan of mana with a shriek, and whatever pitiable creatures that had been in flight were devoured within the beam. It crossed miles in moments, eager and deadly, and for a moment as Sheena hovered directly in its path she felt a spasm of terror. 'Jizou help me.'

She had no time to prepare herself as the beam of mana, well beyond her size in width and height was upon her. It slammed into the mirror that had been erected without mercy, and the ensuing shockwave of the sudden halt of such power nearly knocked her from her Rheaird. She had no time to see how her friends below fared, no time to even comprehend the mammoth force she was trying to stop. It was there, and she had to focus every bit of her being into what she had to do.

The pressure was enormous, and the heat of the charged particles of mana brought forth a fresh sheen of sweat to her face and scalded her skin. The roar was beyond anything Sheena had ever heard, dashing her senses and threatening to break her focus. Her body shook with the effort of holding the Summon Spirits' mana together, robbing her of breath. Her own pain was reflected within her body as she heard the Spirits helping her grunt and hiss with effort. Origin and Maxwell were working as one, their voices mingling together as Shadow hissed his displeasure while Luna and Aska groaned their pain.

'Hold on...! Don't give up yet!'

Though it was only a fraction, not even a hair's breadth of movement, Sheena felt the beam of mana shift in its course. The mirror shifted with it, trying to coax the beam upwards, away from its intended target and up into space. The leviathan of energy seemed discontent with the change of course, seeming to strain, impossibly, even harder against their combined efforts.

The increased pressure threatened to snap Sheena's focus in two, and her knees buckled under the weight. Her body was rebelling against her efforts, her stores of mana nearly depleted already from the creation of the mirror. To hold it still, to angle it even a single degree was just asking too much. Her lips parted with a moan, and her arms shook, nearly falling down to rest. 'No...!'

Voices were crying in her head as her body began to slip from her control, dizzy with deprivation of mana and battered by the force of the cannon. She could only blearily hear them through the fog of muddled focus and agony, but they reached into the deepest part of her and made themselves known. The whispers of the Summon Spirits she had called to aid her begged her to stand, to resist. They needed her as much as she needed them. It was almost done. She could survive the pain. A little longer.

Her heart was drumming in her ears, ready to burst against her ribcage. The sound drowned out the voices in her mind, goaded her to stand a little taller and hold her posture. The force against her was titanic, the agony it brought excruciating... but a new whisper had taken the place of the ones who had urged her on.

"Don't give up just yet, Summoner Sheena... Don't let your heart fail you now."

It was black suddenly. The world about her was gone, and she felt new and refreshed. She stood somewhere she did not know, and before her was the Spirit who had died to save her life and returned in a new splendour from the bell she wore about her neck. Its nine long tails fluttered in an unseen and unfelt breeze, and Verius whispered again within not her mind, but her very heart as it had come to make its home so many years before she'd even known.

"Take what power I can offer you... and know I stand at your side as I always have. I am here, and you shall triumph."

Then she was back in her Rheaird, standing against the tide she wanted to stop. A new determination and power flowed in her blood, and she gave voice to it with a roar. The bell about her neck added its gentle chime to her shout, to the voices of the Spirits throwing everything they had behind their summoner, and a burst of fresh mana welled through them all. "NOW!"

The mirror shifted abruptly, in the exact angle Sheena envisioned. The beam of mana no longer met resistence, and it flowed like silk upwards. It roared above her head, singeing her scalp as it went and throwing itself with wild abandon but still harmlessly over Exire. Sheena watched it go, shaking and panting with exertion as it hurled itself into the reaches of space, brilliant and now without threat to the world she loved so dearly.

The strength that had flooded her was gone as quickly as it'd come, and a welcoming exhaustion enveloped the summoner as the mirror dissipated into the wind. She could faintly hear shouts below, the shrieks of jubilation, but they were dim to her ears as he eyes slid closed. She slumped over her Rheaird's controls, a low moan of relief escaping her parted lips.

A feeling of fur brushing her cheek soothed the irritated skin, but she couldn't open her eyes to see what it was. Something nuzzled against her again, and as a gentle blackness urged her into unconsciousness she again heard the voice of her dearest friend whisper inside her chest, "Well done."

**AN:**

**Do I have words? Not really. It's been a hard few weeks personally for me, which may have led to a downgrade of quality in this chapter. Still, it ended up just like I wanted to, so I'm happy with how it is. Heheh, this is rare for me, but I don't mind, since it's a nice feeling of satisfaction. However, this is only one leg of a long journey to finish A New World... and I have quite a few more storylines to wrap up, now don't I? Heheh!**

**Of course, I leave this chapter with a great song playing, and a very happy smile on my face. Writing has been a beautiful outlet for me for many years, and now, more then ever, I am so glad that I have this talent. I'm pretty sure I never would have survived my puberty without it... Of course, quoting someone famous or something once said, "An artist does not make art because he can, but because he must." So, I'm happily trapped with what I've got. Anyway, onwards to the next chapter! :3**

**PS: OMG WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THIS WEBSITE!? YOU LEAVE FOR A FEW MONTHS AND EVERYTHING GOES UPSIDE-DOWN! T.T I apologize for the change in layout and any other screw-ups that this website did to my documents... -whimpers-**

**Mood: Satisfied.**  
**Listening To: "The Reason" - Hoobastank**

**~ Sky**


	30. The Cursed Spirit

**Southern Iselia Plains**

**Noon**

Lloyd shot to his feet as Raine slid out from the little tent that housed the summoner who had promptly collapsed earlier that morning after successfully diverting the Mana Cannon's blast. His eyes were wide as he hurried forward, and he cut off the professor from speaking by asking, "How is she?"

"Still asleep, and considering what she did, I'm not surprised." Raine laughed a little at Lloyd's concern, but she understood well what motivated him. Sheena had nearly dropped from her Rheaird, but luckily they had made it to her before she had fallen completely. She had slept the entire journey down to the ground, and hadn't woken even when she'd been moved from her Rheaird to the tent that had been set up for her. The decision, unspoken as it was, remained that they would stay in the plains until the summoner woke again. "We'll leave her be for a while longer. She drained almost all of her mana, and she'll need a very long rest to replenish herself."

A relieved sigh escaped the swordsman, and he glanced wistfully at the tent but followed Raine as she returned to the tiny campsite that had been set up. Three more tents had been erected across from the small one that Sheena lay in, but they were empty. It was too early to use them, but Raine had predicted they would likely have to remain there for the night and so the others had busied themselves with setting up camp while the professor administered to the sleeping ninja. A small bonfire crackled away in the middle of the tents, and Genis absently attended to a boiling pot that hung suspended over the flame as Regal watched without much interest. Presea sat nearby, a book in her lap but as her other companions, she wasn't reading with much vigour. Their attention remained on the prisoner who sat calm and almost bored on the outskirts of the circle, guarded over by a silent Colette and Zelos.

As Raine and Lloyd approached, the others stirred on silent command. Raine headed straight through towards their prisoner with the others following behind. Lloyd however took the lead as Tasogare ambled elegantly to her feet, and his voice was low but firm as he said, "Now that we know Sheena's going to be okay... I think it's time you started explaining yourself a bit."

Tasogare raised an eyebrow, and ignored Lloyd's words as she cast her gaze about the semicircle that surrounded her. All of the heros met her stare and returned it, but she noticed that only two had any sort of true emotion in their eyes. Colette and Presea were regarding her with careful suspicion, tempered by curiosity that couldn't be hidden. Zelos regarded her with open hatred, while Genis watched her every move with suspicion bristling in his stance. Raine and Regal had nothing to show her, and Lloyd was grim and angry.

She shrugged her shoulders as she finished her appraisal, and shifted her arms a little even though the movement sent a bolt of pain through her muscles. The rope that bound her hands behind her back was firm and had burnt her wrists, but she was used to worse discomfort. She kept her eyes trained on Lloyd and answered him simply, "I think you already know I have no intention of explaining myself to anyone, least of all you."

"Then shall we instead explain what _we_ know about _you_?" Raine asked in rebuttal, and Tasogare fixed her in her cold golden gaze that had no effect on the professor except to annoy her. Folding her arms across her stomach, Raine tilted her head and began coolly, "You are a half-elf of Ozette, born over nine-hundred years ago. You left your village after razing the humans and elves who lived there along with another bunch of Desian upstarts, and then swore your loyalty to Cruxis in exchange for Exspheres. However, you weren't just any lowly soldier, were you?"

"You were a Chosen." Colette picked up where Raine left off softly, and Tasogare turned to look at her without surprise. Her gaze however sharpened a little, but the blond angel continued on with a hint of steel underneath her gentle voice, "You completed the trials, but you were afflicted with the same disease Martel and I had. When you were finally treated though, it was too late. You're dying. That's why you needed Mrs Sage, so you could get more Mana Leaf Herb to stop the crystallization."

"Course, that also explains why the Storyteller got attacked." Zelos chimed in with cold fury, and he sneered at the angel who now turned her eyes to him with a similar expression of distaste, "Auin tried crippling you by destroying the only hope you had of survival. Lucky you that some of the Mana Leaf Herb managed to survive the blaze. You and your little rivalry with the other head general started making a lot more sense once we found out you were related."

At that Tasogare's body stiffened a bit, and for the first time she looked honestly caught of guard by their knowledge. She recovered quickly though, and laughed stonily at her captors to cover her momentary lapse. "So you've discovered a bit of my past. Do you think that alone would make me pliable to your whims? Your information tells you nothing. You already know why I sought you out. Our goals coincide, little more."

"You may want to kill Auin, but our goal lies with Yggdrasil." Presea disagreed quietly, and she shook her head firmly as a frown pulled her lips downwards. "From what Lloyd explained to us, you have already made a deal with him. If he helps you, you will get him to Yggdrasil, where we can stop him once and for all. But there's still some things that make no sense, and we want answers."

"You will find I have little to tell you." Tasogare warned without humour, and Lloyd scowled but there was a hint of resignation in his expression. He knew better than anyone how jealousy she guarded her secrets, and if she refused to answer their questions there would be no persuading her otherwise. To make it worse, she also knew they would not resort to torturing her as the Desians had in their quest for information. "Also there is little time. There is much work to be done."

Zelos bristled at her authoritative tone, and he stepped forward with clear anger in his eyes. Colette reached out and seized a hold of his arm, keeping him restrained in a gentle grip that belied her great strength. He bowed to her touch, but his voice still lashed out like a whip as he questioned her darkly, "Do you really figure we're about to go around taking orders from _you_?"

"Zelos, that's enough." The admonishment didn't come from Colette as he had expected, but rather Raine. He turned in surprise, but the eagle-eyed professor had her gaze firmly set on the angel. She took a measured step forward, while the others stirred as if to stop her, but she didn't try to go further. Instead she stood in no man's land, and addressed Tasogare directly, "Your information about the Mana Cannon panned out, and for that, I'm grateful. However, I know you aren't seeking our gratitude. Tell us exactly what it is you _are_ seeking."

Tasogare paused, caught off guard completely by the genteel tone. She hadn't expected such civility, but she decided it was likely best that she use it to her advantage anyway. She adjusted her arms slightly, though the rope chafed into her wrists with another burning lance of pain. She ignored it, then answered the question quietly, "As you already know, I am seeking the death of Auin. To do so outright has proved impossible, and I have been forced to bide my time. Now, he has positioned himself as Yggdrasil's right-hand. He seeks to be made the new vassal that Yggdrasil requires. He may very well become that vassal. With my own power, it is not possible to destroy them both."

Colette finished her explanation quietly and without inflection, "So, you need us to help you." She glanced about at the unconvinced faces of her friends and swallowed back the acidic taste the sight brought to her mouth. She bit down on her lower lip, trying to think of how next to phrase her words. She had no time however and instead blurted out, "Why do you want to kill your brother?"

The brown-haired angel scowled and turned to stone, and her eyes turned into chips of gold-coloured ice at the question. Knowing she'd struck a delicate nerve, Colette immediately backed off. Tasogare spoke with firm harshness that brooked no argument, "My reasons for slaying Auin are my own."

Presea's eyes flickered uncertainly, and her lips thinned but she made no protest. She remembered well the pure hatred that Tasogare had showed to Auin, and knew something deep and dangerous had cemented the enmity. There would be no discovering what drove her to call her brother her enemy, but Lloyd and their own experience proved the fact that Auin was an enemy to all of them. "Then what is it that you want from us?"

"Auin will fall by my hand, and Yggdrasil to yours. However, there are matters to be dealt with before reaching them is even possible." Tasogare then looked straight at Lloyd, who understood her meaning immediately.

Lloyd took up where she left off, and his voice was grim and heavily tinged with dislike when he began, "First the Mana Cannon has to be secured. It can't be allowed to stay in the hands of Auin's men. Yuan will be able to handle that for us, but we need to go to Sybak."

"Sybak?" Genis repeated with a raised eyebrow. Tasogare was now looking at Lloyd in surprise, and if the mage was right, there was a degree of new respect too. A question in her eyes had been answered when he'd finished speaking, and Genis asked it instead in puzzlement, "What's in Sybak?"

"A book. One of the books that was stolen from Heimdall after the fall of the Tower of Salvation. I located it awhile ago before coming here." Lloyd glanced at Tasogare, who had suddenly turned intensely thoughtful, but he continued, "There's a curse on the book... an old curse. Origin's power can take us inside, as long as we have a stone. One we found in Derris Kharlan."

"The Sacred Stone... So we use it to go inside of the book? Why do we need to go inside of it?" Regal frowned, slightly confused. The stone they had found in the depths of Mithos' castle had proved useless to them, but out of impulse Lloyd had decided they keep it anyway. He had given it to Neil, which had promptly been stored safely and under guard in the museum along with other sacred relics from the great Ancient War.

The answer came from Tasogare surprisingly, and it was a single word loaded with a strange sort of evil saturated the word and not her voice, "Niflheim."

Presea reacted with a sharp intake of breath that had everyone turn to see her. She had paled significantly, and Genis reached out automatically to touch her shoulder. She seemed in the midst of a panic attack, but after a moment of deep breathing and closed eyes, she managed to regain control. Her eyes were hard, and she looked straight at Tasogare as she murmured, "The Book of the Underworld... That's what you've found?"

Lloyd's eyes widened in surprise, and he glanced at Presea questioningly. It was Colette who answered him however, her voice soft and compassionate as the blond reached out and took a gentle hold of the axeman's hands, "It was when Nebilim possessed you, wasn't it? He told you about the Book of the Underworld?"

"It was... The Necronomicon... it..." Presea shivered noticeably, and she squeezed her eyes shut as if in pain. Genis now had his arm about her shoulders, and she leaned into him gratefully as she spoke slowly and hesitantly, "It's blurry... but I remember that word. I don't know why... they shouldn't be connected, should they...?"

"Niflheim is Nebilim's resting place, his cage. He was sealed there many years ago, by Yggdrasil. That would be why the Sacred Stone was in his castle." Tasogare explained, and she shifted her weight again uncomfortably. The disbelieving faces she saw staring back at her proved it, and she remembered that they had all once been in possession of the Devil's Arms. "The family of demon hunters that you were told about by Abyssion... were true people, and the knight mentioned in the story did indeed become possessed by the spirit of Nebilim. However, Nebilim himself is not a demon, though he did indeed curse the Devil's Arms with his malignancy."

A chill went up Raine's spine, and she thought of the evil weapons that had been stored deep within Shadow's temple shortly after defeating Abyssion. They had found no use for the weapons, and after taking one of the many cursed chests they had found around the world of Tethe'alla, they'd sealed all of the evil arms within it. She frowned, and found herself asking, "If Nebilim is not a demon... what is he?"

"A Summon Spirit."

Lloyd turned at the familiar voice behind him, and automatically he hurried forward to meet the ninja who had left the tent without a sound as the others were deep in conversation. She looked horribly pale and was moving gingerly towards them, her arms wrapped protectively around her trembling body. Lloyd wrapped his arm about her shoulders and eased her against him, his voice quiet and soft as he spoke, "Hey, you shouldn't be up and moving..."

Sheena allowed herself to be seated in the soft grass, and flushing she let Lloyd keep his arm about her shoulders to help her sit up straighter. She was exhausted and still trembling with cold, but her eyes were serious as she met Tasogare's passive gaze, "That's why you want us to go into Niflheim, isn't it? To make a pact with Nebilim?"

"It is possible to defeat Yggdrasil without the aid of Nebilim... but that will not get rid of him." Tasogare answered her question without a hint of coldness or her usual snideness. She could see Lloyd lowering his chin, scowling as he remembered speaking to the deformed remnants of the former hero of the Ancient War. "He survived defeat once, in the shattered remains of his Cruxis Crystal. He will survive again. The only way to truly kill him is to hand his soul over to Nebilim. The Summon Spirit of Death."

"If Nebilim is the Summon Spirit of Death, why didn't Mithos use him to resurrect Martel? Couldn't he have done it?" Genis asked in puzzlement and with a hint of mistrust. He kept his arm firmly circled around Presea's shoulders, but she seemed to have recovered from her momentary panic, and was looking again at Tasogare for answers to Genis' questions.

"Life isn't meant to be tampered with like that." Colette murmured in reply, startling Tasogare and everyone else in the circle. She frowned and interlocked her fingers, lowering her eyes to the grass, "That's why you can't bring back the dead with healing artes... if Nebilim is the Summon Spirit of Death... he'd refuse to bring back Martel. Life only flows in one direction, that's how it's meant to be."

"And upon refusing to bring Martel back to life, Yggdrasil sealed Nebilim in Niflheim, which had been his realm. He used an Exsphere to sustain his curse, and the Book of the Underworld was hidden away in Heimdall." Tasogare finished where Colette left off, though her eyes were appraising the blond angel with a strange curiosity. "Now the book has been found again after vanishing from the elven village, though I have a suspicion Auin or one of his men had stolen it in the first place."

"Wait, what about Abyssion, and what happened to Presea? Nebilim possessed them. How did he do that if he was sealed in Niflheim?" Zelos cocked his head in Presea's direction, his eyes cold and his face still set in a scowl. Though the idea was strangely new and appealing that Tasogare was telling the truth he still didn't want to take her at her word. "That's a nice big hole in your logic."

"The Necronomicon was a conduit for Nebilim and his flow of mana. Many Summon Spirits have similar items. I'm sure you've come across blessed armours or weapons linked to the Summon Spirits in your travels, correct?" Tasogare pointed out calmly, causing Zelos to scowl in admittance. Many such things had appeared during their journeys, giving credence to Tasogare's words. "He has been trapped in Niflheim for well over four thousand years, and when he had a chance to free himself..."

"He took it, though his power would have been greatly diminished in a human body. However it does go a long way to explaining Abyssion and the Devil's Arms. If Nebilim's power was responsible..." Raine shook her head wearily, then glanced to Presea who had bitten her lower lip hard between her teeth. The professor flinched inwardly, knowing the axeman had to be reliving the horrible experience she had suffered during their search for the Devil's Arms and at Nebilim's hand. "Will he even consider making a pact?"

"Even if he refuses, we can make him." Sheena said firmly, interrupting the answer Tasogare was about to give. Her tawny eyes glittered with ferocious resolve, and though she didn't stand there was no doubting her fighting spirit. She looked to Tasogare, and then to Lloyd and growled, "Take us to Niflheim, and let's do it."

"I don't think anyone else is against the idea, but we're not going anywhere until you've gotten more rest." Lloyd answered her just as firmly, and when she looked as if she was going to argue he shook his head and cut her off, "No arguing. We'll need your strength in the battle against him, and you won't be any help to us the way you are now."

"He has a point, Sheena." Zelos chuckled a little when Sheena pulled a face, and the terse atmosphere about the circle eased a bit at the sudden petulance in the ninja's eyes. "Best to just concede defeat here."

"Come on, let's get you back to the tent." Lloyd stood up with a low chuckle, and he offered his hand to the still scowling ninja. She didn't move, and he tilted his head as he questioned, "Sheena?"

"First I want whatever it was Genis was cooking over in that pot. Then I'll sleep."

* * *

**Southern Iselian Plains**

**Midnight**

The camp was silent, save for a tiny crackling of the still-lit bonfire in the centre of the tents. Tasogare sat awake on the crest of the hill outside of the comfortable circle and as far away from the tents as she could. Her head was tilted back and she gazed soundlessly at the night sky that glittered clear above her. The night was cool, but she had no mind of the breeze that tossed her hair back from her face. Her eyes closed for a long moment, and the sound of grass crunching underfoot alerted her that she was no longer alone.

She did not move as her guard came up the hill to check on her, but she called out impassively to the blond Chosen who had volunteered for the night watch, "If you are hoping to glean more information from me, you will be disappointed."

"I'm not looking for answers." Colette answered quietly, almost sadly, and she continued up the hill until she was directly behind the captured angel. She knelt down beside her and slid off one of her bracelets. The halo-shaped metal immediately hummed in response to her mana, and she cautioned in a low whisper as she handled the deadly weapon with ease, "Don't move."

Tasogare obeyed the order, and was surprised when the chakram sliced down and through her bonds. She flinched unconsciously as she rotated her arms and allowed the blood to rush back to her unused muscles. A low hiss escaped her lips as the burning sensation spread through her arms and up to her shoulders, but she betrayed no further hint to her discomfort as she turned her head and gazed with a raised eyebrow at the girl who freed her. Her voice was tinged with disbelief and a hint of snide amusement as she commented, "Guileless you may be, but even you must have compunctions against freeing a restrained prisoner."

"I didn't think you had to be tied up. And as long as I'm on watch, I thought you might want a chance to relax your arms. If I have to, I'll tie you up again before my watch is over, but I know you won't be any trouble." Colette shook her head in denial, surprising Tasogare again with the depths of her kindness. She sat down casually beside her, and then placed a small package beside her knee. "Here, for your wrists. You must have rubbed them almost raw with that rope."

Tasogare looked down at the gel that lay invitingly at her knee, and promptly returned her gaze to Colette's face. The angel returned her stare with a gentle smile, and the angel shook her head with a low chuckle. She ignored the proffered medicine and instead crossed her raw wrists in her lap and said, "I believe I told you once that your compassion was useless on the battlefield."

"This isn't a battlefield." Colette pointed out with a tilt of her head, but she took back the gel she had offered and slid it idly into the pack on her hip anyway. Even in the darkness of the night Colette could see that Tasogare's wrists were horribly red and chafed to the point of bleeding, but never did their captive complain. She continued to examine the expressionless brunette beside her, and her voice was quiet and level when she murmured, "Lloyd told me... about everything he remembered about you. Then when we heard about your history... I thought for sure you couldn't be as horrible a person as you try make yourself look like."

Blinking in surprise, Tasogare wasn't sure if she was more baffled or amused by Colette's reasoning. She'd never met someone so fiercely optimistic, and it was a bit disconcerting. She had to fight a bit to keep the laughter and surprise from her voice when she replied, "I am loathe to disappoint you, but unfortunately your instincts are wrong. Everything I do... I do to further my own goals."

Colette sighed, but she knew there would be no pushing the angel into answering that line of questioning. Instead she glanced over at the campfire where the pot of beef stew Genis had cooked still was simmering over the fire and reflected on the fact that Tasogare had refused her portion of the meal. She also had not slept, at least not that Colette had noticed, causing her to muse aloud, "You don't eat or sleep... but you obviously feel pain... and you have the same disease that I had. Lloyd said you couldn't use magic... but Presea saw you heal Genis. Why did you lie?"

Tasogare shook her head slowly, baffled that Colette had such a ferocious determination to root out her motives. The others had proven that her motives meant little to them, as she was using them as they would use her. While they didn't like it, she was invaluable to their cause. Still, her answer was cold and distant, "I had planned to approach your team, and that required all of you to be alive. Added to the fact that Yggdrasil had left distinct orders to not harm any one of you... healing Sage was the only course of action."

'Excuses... She just isn't going to tell me the truth about anything...' Colette pursed her lips into a frown, but she'd grown tired of the run-around. She rubbed at her eyes and ambled to her feet while Tasogare remained seated on the grass. "I'm not going to retie your arms yet... but Raine is awake on watch in a few hours, and she'll want you bound again."

"A smart choice." Tasogare remarked with a dangerous smile that did not make the blond beside her falter. She shook her head once more, folding her arms about her stomach and commenting, "You left with me with a weapon, undid my bonds, and only posted a single guard to watch over me... I am constantly being surprised by you."

"I'm glad." Colette smiled disarmingly, and when Tasogare raised her eyebrow she explained with a little laugh, "If I'm surprising you, that just means that I'm doing it right. I know you're better than what you pretend to be, and I won't stop insisting that. So I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing. How are your arms now that you've rested a little?"

Tasogare let out a long-suffering sigh, and she stretched out her arms again to test her blood flow. Her muscles no longer ached, but her head was beginning to. She rubbed at her temples and then muttered, "One day, your optimism... your trusting... will backfire horribly upon you."

"I'd rather have my kindness backfire on me than not being kind at all." Colette's eyes turned to stone, and her expression became surprisingly fierce. It was a sudden change from gentle smile to such confident power, and Tasogare's eyes narrowed as her hand instinctively clenched into a fist at her side. "Compassion isn't a weakness."

"You and Irving share quite the idealises." Tasogare smiled, but there was no warmth or respect in the gesture. Her eyes were metal, and her expression harsh. Still she did not stand, merely sat with her hands crossed in her lap and looked up to meet Colette's ironlike stare. "Though it will not serve you. The world is cruel, Brunel... and that is the truth."

"As people change, so does the world." Colette answered firmly and with a slow shake of her head. She cast her gaze back to the campfire, wondering how someone could be so terrifically jaded about the world they lived in. She rubbed tiredly at her temples, feeling the weariness of a long day creeping through her body. 'So much has happened today... It's just too much to take in...'

A weary silence filled the hilltop as Colette stood gazing back at the camp but Tasogare returned her eyes to the stars. The older of the two glanced over her shoulder, noticing with a wry amusement that the blond was beginning to drift off standing up. She didn't have to jolt her back into alertness as the cold-eyed professor was making her way towards them, ready to take her shift for the night watch.

The sound of footfall on the grass instantly snapped Colette back into full consciousness, and she blushed with embarrassment as she saw Raine standing at the bottom of the hill. She glanced over at Tasogare, who was still staring out at the star-studded sky, before making her way down the incline to her professor's side. "Um... Is it time for your watch already?"

"A little early, but I thought you needed some rest." Raine answered with a raised eyebrow and a wry smile. She reached forward and fondly tapped Colette's head with the top of her staff before shooing her back towards the camp. The blond left without protest, and Raine watched her go with a little chuckle of exasperation. 'Still unable to believe that there's nothing but the best in people...'

Her eyes flickered back up to the top of the hill where Tasogare was sitting with an air of calm boredom. Raine leaned on her staff with a frown as she weighed her options of going up to join the brown-haired angel or remaining where she was. Her dislike of the hostage hadn't boiled down though she'd proven herself somewhat trustworthy, and she wasn't prepared to spend a few hours nursing that sore spot before trying to get some rest for the night. 'Annoying she may be, but not enough to rob me of my sleep tonight... I'll keep watch from here for now.'

She took a seat at the edge of the hill, ensuring that she could see where Tasogare sat without much effort. The angel was motionless up above, proving that she could easily be a statue if Raine hadn't known any better. The professor had already noticed that Colette had snuck out a gel from the medical kit, but she knew better than to think that the angel had used it on her wrists. 'Presea did see her heal Genis' wounds with elvish healing arts... but I doubt she would have healed herself. After all, she was wounded when she arrived in Iselia...'

Raine set her staff across her legs and then stretched her arms as high as they'd go until her muscles creaked in protest. The day had proven oddly eventful, giving her companions a new objective and view on past events. 'The shortage of mana flow was the Mana Cannon taking in massive amounts of mana to prepare for its charge while the World Tree fought to correct the imbalance... and now our destination is Niflheim... To think, Nebilim is a Summon Spirit and we require his aid to defeat Mithos Yggdrasil once and for all... The surprises never seem to end.'

'Though I imagine Nebilim will not be eager to forge a pact. Four thousand years sealed in a prison and cast as a demon eager to corrupt the souls of mankind... I doubt many would be sociable after such an ordeal.' Raine closed her eyes in thought, and she focussed her mind on the idea of the underworld that awaited them in Sybak. 'Lloyd's information says clearly that Nebilim resides inside of Niflheim, in the deepest area accessible. Of course, Niflheim is also home to many monsters... it will be a difficult journey, one that we will need to prepare for fully beforehand. If only we knew more details of what to expect...'

Her eyes drifted to the campfire which had begun to burn merrily again now that she had tossed more fuel into the flames, and she glanced to the tent that housed the axeman who was most affected by the news of their upcoming battle. The pink-haired girl had only betrayed a single moment of fear before composing herself, but Raine knew better than to think she had recovered entirely. 'It must be a nightmare to her... but she puts on a brave face so not to worry her friends...'

The professor's thoughts then turned to her brother, who had been glued to Presea's side the moment he'd seen that flicker of horror in her face. An exhausted laugh escaped her at the memory of his arms wrapped about the hunter's shoulders, and she murmured aloud tiredly, "He's grown much more than in quarters of inches... He's well on his way to becoming an adult, height notwithstanding..."

Rolling her stiff shoulders back, Raine turned her gaze back to the hill where their hostage had still not moved. She had seated herself in the grass, her head tilted backwards to stare up at the night sky. With a weary breath, she too mimicked the action, absently marking out the constellations that she remembered long ago teaching to Genis. 'His protective instincts have always been strong, but recently they've been getting him into quite a bit of trouble... I suppose that is simple adolescence. He adores Presea, after all...'

She sighed tiredly, feeling the strength in her muscles coming undone as her mind drifted back to Nebilim and Niflheim. 'Our journeys have taken us everywhere in the world... and now we are to travel through a book and into Niflheim...' She chewed absently on her lower lip, casting her thoughts over the party who slept on oblivious in their tents behind her. Her comrades had all been grim-faced but agreeing, ready to follow their captive's advice and go to Sybak on the morrow. Though they remained suspicious of her... her words had made sense. Yggdrasil had proved too strong to defeat, and if there was the slightest chance he would again revive...

"We have little choice. To Niflheim we shall go."

* * *

**Sybak**

**Late Morning**

The library was empty save for the nine warriors who now stood in the far end of the giant building next to the last three shelves of books. Zelos had managed, after a bit of flashing his still-usable authority as a Chosen, to evacuate the building of scholars, workers and professors for the day. They hadn't dared to search for the book they needed until they building was empty, and only when the last person left through the doors did Lloyd move to the very last shelf by the far wall. The others followed his lead silently, and now Lloyd knelt down and pointed carefully at a single book among the others. His voice was quiet as he explained to the staring others, "This one. At first I wasn't sure, but when I reached to touch it, Origin stopped me and warned me of the dark power it had. That was when I knew it was the book I was looking for."

Raine narrowed her eyes as she stared at the black-bound book Lloyd was pointing at. It made its home on the bottom shelf, set between a thick volume on alchemic properties and another smaller manual on automaton dolls. As she gazed at the unassuming book she felt a chill go through her when she noticed the gleaming red jewel that peered back at her from the top of the spine. Ancient characters she didn't recognize notched the spine in a vortex of patterns, and she knelt down next to Lloyd to get a better view.

Tilting his head a bit, Genis pulled a face as he thought of the cautioning words Lloyd was given about the book. He then shook his head as he asked the question no one else seemed to want to, "Wasn't the book stolen from Heimdall and then moved here? How did the thief manage to move it without succumbing to the temptation to use it?"

"Power of will." Tasogare answered with a shake of her own head, and she folded her arms firmly across her stomach as she, too, examined the book closely. Her instincts warned her to shrink away from the object, but she refused to show unease. Now that she had noticed it she could see how out of place it looked amongst the books beside it, but she guessed the scholars in the library had never taken notice of it before. The magic surrounding the book was ancient and powerful, likely enchanting most who ever saw the book to either ignore it completely or be filled with such unease they would never dare to take it from the shelf. "If the thief was well aware of what the book was, they would have known better than to open it. If not... They would have been taken into the book and devoured by any of the great numbers of demons inhabiting Niflheim. Not much of a loss."

Lloyd resisted the urge to agree with her, even though it bothered him immensely to do so. With great care he plucked the book from its resting place, grunting in surprise at its weight when he held it with both hands. The book seemed more like a great stone than something of paper, and he had to struggle to move it to the table not six steps from the bookshelf. For all the weight he held it gingerly, feeling the evil aura of the cursed thing flickering hungrily around his hands, seeking for a weakness it could use to penetrate him. It reminded him horribly of the Devil's Arms and the lust for combat the weapons could erupt in a person.

As soon as he'd set it down on the table he let out a relieved sigh, and he took several steps away from it, pocketing his hands uncomfortably. The scrolling design on the spine stretched out to the cover, marking the thick leather binding with numerous symbols he guessed were all a part of the curse designed to seal Nebilim inside of the book. The Exsphere on the spine glowed unnaturally bright, as if sensing their intentions and it bathed the nine who surrounded it in a dim red glow.

"We should return it to Heimdall once we're finished with it." Colette bit down on her lower lip, gazing down at it with unease showing plain on her face. Her stomach was curled into a tight ball, and she felt the evil thickening the air around the book. The malignancy of the Summon Spirit imprisoned within was almost tangible, igniting every angelic sense she had and warning her to be on guard. "Give it to the Elder, or the Storyteller to keep it hidden away forever."

"There is no keeping it hidden. For four thousand years it was sealed away, but eventually it was brought out. Once more it will end up making its way back, even if it takes another four thousand years." Tasogare disagreed coldly, but for once there was no arrogant indulgence in her voice, only a tired sort of defeat. "The Summon Spirits do not fade with time, like the wills of those bound to it do."

"That isn't our concern right now. For now all that matters is making the pact with Nebilim. We can focus on the future afterwards." Zelos replied dismissively and with a steely glare at the angel across from him. She appeared bored with his ire, but that only made him more annoyed and determined. "So, what do you we do to go inside of it?"

Lloyd let out a long breath, and then he closed his eyes as he reached deep inside of himself and pressed his hands on the handles of Flamberge and the Vorpal Sword. He felt the Eternal Sword responding to his search, and then Origin's voice echoed inside of his mind as the Summon Spirit answered Lloyd's unspoken call.

"_What does the master of the Sword seek from me?"_

Not speaking aloud, Lloyd focussed his thoughts as he had learned to do over the two years of being the wielder of the Eternal Sword. He had been shocked to find that he could speak to Origin without Sheena's aid, but the power of the Sword and the bond he had with it due to Origin's influence left him connected to the master of the Summon Spirits. He answered with his mind, blocking out the world around him to focus on the bond, _"The book is cursed. If we open the book, we'll be taken inside. What will we do when we want to leave?"_

The was a pause as if Origin did not know how to answer, which left Lloyd biting back a feeling of nausea. The Eternal Sword was a thing of great power, but like he had learned watching Sheena struggle with the Mana Cannon, he knew it was only as strong as its wielder. He had a sinking feeling that his lack of mastery over the sword would be an increasing problem in the journey ahead, and when Origin answered he found himself horribly right.

"_The world inside of the book is evil, of a realm I have not seen. However, its power is singular; that of Nebilim's will. Until Nebilim's will is broken, it may be impossible to leave of your own choosing. Once inside, you must break Nebilim's control of the seal to have assured chance of returning to this plane unharmed."_

"_Thank you."_ Lloyd felt the urge to curse, but he dutifully repeated Origin's words to his friends with a grim scowl, "Just opening the book will take us inside if we surrender Origin's protection. I learned that the first time I came here. Once we're inside though, we won't be able to get out until we have the pact with Nebilim. I could try to use the Eternal Sword to get us out safely, but I don't know how well that will work. Once we're in, we're in."

"It is not as if we have not faced that decision before." Regal reminded him with a tiny smile, but there was no mirth in his expression. He glanced around the faces of those surrounding the book, and in their eyes he saw the same determination he felt in his heart. They were out of options if they wanted to truly defeat the ancient hero of the Kharlan War. "We are ready to go inside."

The sentiment was echoed by seven other voices, and only Tasogare remained completely silent. Lloyd turned back to the book and then took a step closer to the table. His jaw was set as he reached forward and took a hold of the front cover and flipped it open with a quick jerk of his wrist. At first the book did not react, and he saw the first page of the book showing nothing but crinkled and yellow paper that was completely bare.

The others leaned forward instinctively, and then as if a quill invisible to their eyes began to write, blood-red script flowed across the page before them. The text was unlike anything they had ever seen, and no one spoke as lines were written freshly across the page in surprising speed. Then an eerie disembodied laugh filled their heads as the page filled entirely with strange writing, and the crimson ink began to glow in pulses like a heartbeat.

The light grew brighter, forcing them to turn their eyes away until it immersed them entirely. Lloyd felt his body being drawn inside, and instinctively he reached to grab onto Sheena's wrist. Her hand closed around his just as he grabbed for her, and the pulling sensation increased sharply. He tried to cry out, and he heard the surprised calls of his friends as they, too, felt the sensation of the book pulling on them.

"Aw _man_!"

"Son of a–"

"Ahh!"

"Can I change my vote?"

Zelos' sarcastic comment was the last thing echoing in Lloyd's ears as his feet left the firm floor of the library and he felt his body flashing through the book and into Niflheim. He recalled the sensation of going through the Otherworldly Gate as he travelled through space and time to reach the sealed off world of the demons, and though he tried to prepare himself for the odd sense of vertigo his body had other ideas for him. He landed on his feet on unfamiliar ground, but was sent to his knees as the force of the strange means of travelling rocked him from head to toe.

Thumps of bodies hitting the cold stone floor underneath hit his ears like thunder, and he rolled onto his back instinctively as every fibre of his body cried out in protest. The warmth of the library had vanished to be replaced with an intense cold that he only felt once before in Celsius' icy cavern temple. However that cold had been tempered by the warmth of the sun and the changing weather patterns, while the cold that surrounded him now was caused by sheer malevolence.

As he opened his eyes to take in his surroundings, Lloyd's first thought was that he had gone blind. There was nothing but blackness surrounding him at every angle, and though he could feel the still and freezing air and the icy stone through his clothes on his back, there was simply nothing to see. He called out raggedly, his throat feeling pinched from the cold and the travel, "Everybody?"

From his left Sheena spoke first, though her voice was an odd half-gasp as if the summoner had been dunked into a bucket of freezing water when she expected a hot bath, "I'm here." She let out a strained laugh as he heard her sitting up, and she asked with a sarcastic chuckle, "Since we're blind... Rollcall anyone?"

"I'm right here. A bit weak, but fine." Raine replied with a hint of a tired sigh, and she winced a little as she tried moving her arms around. She had landed hard on her stomach with her hands shooting out to try and catch herself, but she had only succeeded in roughly scraping her palms on the rough rock floor beneath her. She rubbed tiredly at the wounds, wishing she could see her own palms to assess the damage but the darkness was absolute around her. "I may have cut open my hand, but I can't tell for sure."

"Are you serious?" Zelos asked from Lloyd's right with a sound of complete and utter indignation. The Chosen sounded like he'd just run a marathon and had been asked to do it again backwards, and he grumped as he moved around in the darkness, "This is ridiculous. You figure there'd be a welcome mat or something–"

Colette let out a shocked shriek as something touched the back of her neck, and impulsively she turned around and with a closed fist hit the strange thing that had groped her. Zelos gasped in agony as her fist hit him square on the jaw, and he staggered backwards only to fall over something that had been sitting just behind him.

Regal hissed as Zelos fell down on top of him, and though he wanted to shove the hapless Chosen off of him he didn't move, afraid to repeat the performance he had just gotten into. Instead he moved carefully from underneath the injured redhead, rubbing at his sore head which Zelos had elbowed in his fall, "Curses..."

Genis heard Tasogare curse to his left, and he felt the need to do the same at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. He knew Presea was beside him, as he had grabbed her arm when the travel had begun and he'd kept his hold on her even when he'd landed hard on the ground. He warned those around him with a firm, "Don't anyone move, and close your eyes." as he raised his free hand and concentrated his mana into it to solve their problem.

Responding immediately to his call he felt his mana well into his fingertips, and a spark played lazily around his palm before bursting into a small fire. The light hammered his unprepared eyes even though he had closed them, and from the groan that went around the group he could tell they felt similar pain. Forcing his eyelids open he reached for the unlit torch he always kept in his pack and applied the fireball to it to give them all light. The torch caught instantly, and began crackling greedily on the oil-soaked cloth that was tied about the handle Genis held aloft gingerly. Light cast away the shadows, and Genis blinked in surprise as he noticed for the first time their surroundings.

They had been dumped into what appeared to be a cavern tunnel, with a single path pointing south. His friends lay in assorted positions of surprise or hurt, and he tried to stifle a chuckle as he saw Zelos laying on his back, nursing a cut lip while Regal sat beside him, looking completely unamused. Colette immediately rushed to him, looking guilty as she helped him sit up with a rueful frown. Raine was sitting up cross-legged, examining her hands in the pale light and looking relieved as she checked over her wounds. Sheena and Lloyd were kneeling close together, but the summoner seemed a bit pale as she nursed her ankle carefully, and Presea remained glued to his side. Tasogare was the only one standing, but her eyes were closed and her arms crossed over her stomach, looking for the most part completely unruffled. Genis asked tiredly as he waved the torch around a little to get a better view of the cavern, "Everybody okay?"

"I'm fine." Presea said quietly, but her voice carried a hint of something weighing her down. When Genis glanced aside at her she looked away and down the tunnel with a frown creasing her brow, and he decided it would be best not to push her as the others started answering his question too.

"I landed weird on my ankle." Sheena replied with a shake of her head, and declining Lloyd's help she ambled to her feet and carefully applied pressure on her wounded ankle. She let out a relieved sigh as it took her weight with only a slight twinge, and answered with a smile, "Never mind, I'm good."

"I'm fine too. Just a bit out of breath." Lloyd chimed in with a sigh, and he carefully stood up too as if worried he'd hit somebody accidentally if he moved too fast.

"My hands sting a little, but I'm also fine." Raine likewise got to her feet, and she carefully leaned on her staff as if checking to make sure her weapon had survived the travel. She smiled as she ran her hand expertly down the rod and found it whole, and then she glanced around to find her husband sitting winded on the ground. She raised an eyebrow, not sure of she wanted to know as she saw Zelos removing his leg from Regal's with a tentative movement, "And... Are you two alright?"

Zelos said nothing, still nursing his sore jaw as he got to his feet along with Regal in a swift movement. Colette stared at the ground, abashed as ambled neatly to her feet. She bit down on her lower lip, unsure, and then finally answered for him with a sheepish, "I hit him in the dark."

Genis started laughing first, and Lloyd joined in with a snort as he commented, "Nice job, Colette." Sheena cracked up right on his heels, and soon the sound of merriment filled the cavern as everyone broke into laughter. Even Zelos was chuckling, and he ruffled Colette's hair before he noted with surprise that even Tasogare wore the tiniest of smiles though she kept her eyes firmly closed.

When the laughter finally died down, Lloyd glanced around at the single passage narrowed his eyes as he wordlessly took Genis' proffered torch and took a closer look at the entrance. The stone that made up the cavern was like onyx, making it impossible to see which path would lead them deeper into the cave or out of it, and he spoke quietly, "Is this Niflheim...? There's only one tunnel, and it looks like its sloping down."

"Likely the tunnel leads to Niflheim. There is no other exits from what I can see." Raine replied with a thoughtful frown, and she glanced up at the arcing ceiling above them that proved her words. Though the cavern was broad, the walls hemmed them in like a bubble, leaving them with only the tunnel to be their guide. The walls however were perfectly smooth, while the floor was uneven with sharp rock and black dust. "We'll have to proceed downwards."

"If everyone's okay..." Lloyd began, and he glanced around to see eight pairs of eyes meeting his stare. He nodded in affirmation, then holding the torch in front of him like a weapon, he stared down the darkness of the tunnel and said coolly, "Then let's get going. Nebilim is waiting, and we have a pact to make."

**AN:**

**I take my sweet time, eh? Oh well. This chapter was actually really hard to get through, strangely enough. I normally never have as much trouble as I did with this one... Hence it may bounce around a lot and not seem that good, lol. However I did enjoy writing the ending scene. It seemed so oppressive... and also something that would happen. XD I laughed a lot while imagining Colette whaling on Zelos by accident... I think I may be a bit of a sadist. Whoopsie! -hit with a frying pan- **

**Anyway, so welcome to one of my most anticipated sequences! Niflheim! :3 I've been wanting to write Niflheim for ages... and I had no idea how to incorporate it in any of my story ideas until A New World. I loved Nebilim's little sideplot in ToS but I wished it had been longer and expanded upon... so I took my wish and moved it into ANW after a lot of deliberation. Hopefully I do it well, heheh.**

**PS: I seriously had this written months ago... then my computer decided to suddenly stop working. My laptop has no battery, and the charging cord I used to keep it running just randomly sparked and then died. I was left in a semi-catatonic state until I managed to buy another one for cheap off my little sister... God, I love that girl. Hopefully, this now means, I'll be able to update from now on without so many breaks in between!  
**

**Please drop a review as always, and hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Mood: Melancholy**

**Listening To: "Hello" - Evanescence**

**~ Sky**


	31. Twisted Welcome

**Outer Rim of the Underworld**

**Time Unknown**

The slope of the tunnel made for awkward going at first as the troupe of nine carefully made their way down into Niflheim. Lloyd led the way silently, holding the torch aloft to keep the path illuminated. The cavern was completely empty except for them, and the silence was oppressive as they marched onwards. They had been walking for almost an hour without speaking, and the single path simply continued on without end. The swordsman was only glad that the torch still flickered with light, but he worried what would happen when they would need another one if they didn't come to the entrance and the darkness didn't lift.

"Is anyone but me a little concerned that we haven't run into any demons yet?"

Sheena wanted to laugh at the absurd statement, but the seriousness of the question sobered her urge quickly. She glanced over her shoulder at Zelos who had spoken, but continued moving forward with the rest of the group. She was in the front with Lloyd, while Colette, Zelos and Raine followed behind. Genis, Presea and Regal made up the rear, with Tasogare following in a slow and almost leisurely walk that left her isolated at their backs. Though no one seemed content to have her at that position, no one had ordered her to walk closer to them either. The angel simply shadowed their pace, as if she wasn't really there at all, and Sheena was a bit surprised by how easy it was to forget she was actually there. Shaking off the thought quickly, the ninja returned Zelos' comment with a raised eyebrow and a hint of disbelief, "Don't tell me you're actually wanting to fight for once?"

"I never said that." Zelos countered quickly, and Colette giggled a bit at his side at his hasty jump to defend himself. He rolled his eyes but reached out to ruffle her hair automatically in the darkness as he grew more serious, "But you gotta admit, it's a bit weird. We've been walking for about an hour now... and we haven't heard anything but the sound of our own footsteps. For a place meant to be crawling with demons and monsters and Martel knows what else, this tunnel is pretty empty."

"This is not Niflheim."

Zelos turned in surprise to Presea, but the axeman was staring straight ahead without acknowledging any of her friends who walked beside her. She had her hand resting uneasily on the handle of her Gaia Cleaver, and her eyes were narrowed as if she was trying to see what lay ahead in the murk. She had been oddly silent since the announcement of needing to find Nebilim, but there was no denying that she was sorely uneasy about their destination.

Still, the way she spoke was with perfect authority, as if she knew exactly where they were heading. When others stumbled over their feet in the gloom, Presea never once stepped wrong. The path had more than once curved left or right, and she followed it with perfect accuracy and assurance. She continued in a flat voice that contrasted harshly with her wound body, "This is only the path that leads into it, and it is beyond Nebilim's sphere of influence. Monsters will not come here."

Genis narrowed his eyes in suspicion of her answer, but before he could question her on how she knew the information she rattled off easily, Tasogare spoke from the back of the group in a speculative murmur, "The possession of Nebilim has provided you with some information of Niflheim, I see. Do you know how much further this tunnel goes?"

Lloyd had halted, sensing something horribly amiss as he turned to see Tasogare staring intently at the hunter she was questioning. Genis again made to speak, but he was cut off as Presea answered automatically, "The tunnel will continue for roughly two hundred more kilometres, and will open into a small cavern that is the entrance of Niflheim. From there the path will drop steeply, and waiting within the bowels of Niflheim will be the guards of the Underworld, ready to prevent further passage. Beyond them is Nebilim's chamber."

"How do you know that?" Colette blinked, completely aghast by Presea's mechanical answers to Tasogare's question. She almost sounded the same as she had when they had first met, like a doll unable to think or feel. She noticed however that after Presea spoke her eyes came alive again, and she would tremble a bit before hugging her arms tight in on herself, fighting off an invisible embrace she longed to escape. Genis had noticed it too, and he wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulders, and to his surprise, she sank close into him and closed her eyes tight as she continued to shiver and refused to speak again.

"The possession." Raine murmured thoughtfully, echoing Tasogare's statement. She looked to the angel, who was still gazing with curiosity at Presea, and she mused aloud mostly to the brunette, "Is it possible when Nebilim possessed her that the information he had of Niflheim was inadvertently transferred to her...?"

"It is possible. How else would Combatir have knowledge of this place?" Tasogare replied with a shrug of her shoulders, her voice sounding curt and satisfied. Her eyes however were a different story, and she continued to gaze with that same strange hunger for knowledge at Presea. "It works to our benefit. We at least know how much further we must go to reach Nebilim now."

Ignoring his sister's musing, Genis firmly took a hold of Presea's shoulders and waited until she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. His voice was quiet and soothing as he asked her slowly, "Presea, do you want to take a break?"

"No." The answer came immediately, and Presea glanced around at the darkness as if it was going to consume them. She shook her head fiercely from side to side, and in her eyes was a faint hint of panic as she whispered, "I... do not want to remain here for any longer than I have to. Please... let us keep moving forward."

"Then let's keep going forward." Lloyd agreed after a moment of pause, and though his eyes were worried he turned around to continue the march. He could hear Genis whispering something to Presea further back, but the hunter never answered him in reply. Sheena sidled close to him, as if sensing his unease, and grateful for it he said quietly, "What Professor Raine and Tasogare said... Do you believe it?"

"I believe it." Her quick agreement almost made Lloyd draw up short, but in the faint flicker of the firelight in his hand he saw her eyes dark with pain. She had her arms wrapped around herself much like Presea had, and her voice was a hoarse mutter when she explained, "It's like what happened when... he possessed me. I could see his memories, like he could see mine. At first, it was like trying to swim up a waterfall, there was so much to take in that I was just too overwhelmed... but once I was released... Well, just like Colette, I could still feel those memories and emotions like they were my own long afterwards. It makes sense that it'd be the same with Presea."

Lloyd felt his heart lurch painfully at the sound of weakness in her voice, and with his free hand he reached to take a hold of hers to offer her comfort. She brushed close, letting their shoulders touch in the darkness as he squeezed her hand tight in his own. She was smiling, though the expression was weak and forced him to mutter, "I know we have to be here... but I still hate that we have to do it. Presea hasn't looked right since we mentioned Nebilim... I'm worried."

"We all are." Sheena sighed, and this time she squeezed his hand to offer him a reprieve from his guilt. There had been no choice but to go, and even if they had entertained the idea of leaving behind anyone in Sybak... They all knew better to assume anyone would actually remain. "She's right though that we should move as fast as possible so we can finish this quickly. The sooner we get this done, the better for everybody."

"Yeah..." Lloyd grit his teeth together and stiffened his spine as he continued moving. He increased the pace slightly, sensing the unrest growing in his comrades as he did so. No one enjoyed being in the dark and cool tunnel, but to their credit not a single protest had been made. Instead they plowed forward doggedly, eating up the distance under their weary feet as the darkness closed in again on them as th torch spluttered lower and lower.

The tunnel narrowed sharply, forcing the group to walk single-file in the dying firelight, and no one was entirely sure how much time had passed when the torch finally gave one last spark and then finally died out. There was a clumsy fumble as Genis lit the second of the five torches that had been gathered together, and the young mage was scowling as the light once again brightened their surroundings. He had tried to make an educated guess of how many hours the torch had lasted, and the numbers weren't looking promising to his will-oiled mind.

'Even though Presea's pretty sure of the distance... we won't have enough torches to last us, and there isn't anything even remotely resembling firewood down here to help. It'd take too much effort to keep a fire going just on mana, but I could manage it if we have to... Damn. Why didn't I think of bringing more torches?'

Glancing at the grim faces of his comrades, Genis decided it would be best not to mention it as he handed off the torch to Lloyd who was still leading the way. The march resumed now that light was returned, and with a bit of relief, genis noticed the tunnel was again widening out, no longer forcing everyone to push along together at a painfully slow pace.

Presea had slowly snaked her way up to the front of the line, though she still didn't seem to need the light to know where she was going. The mage had been watching her closely during the last hour or so of marching, and her strange familiarity with the tunnel was making him anxious. She seemed almost at home with the underground passage as she was in the wood of Ozette.

With the thought souring his scowl even further, Genis forced himself to glance around again at the rest of his companions. Colette had been absently rubbing her wrists for the past ten minutes, and her angelic bracelets were giving off a faint glow in the dark that she used to pick her way with better care. Zelos was constantly watching her movements, always having a hand ready to pull her upright if she stumbled or to help her turn quickly if she was in danger of running into an unnoticed bulge of rock in the wall.

Tasogare brought up the rear as usual, and she showed no signs of discomfort or annoyance at being behind them. Rather she kept on hand ghosting along the wall while her other formed a belt around her waist, and she moved just as Presea did, without fear or uncertainty, like she had walked this path a thousand times and knew it by heart. The sword at her waist, the only weapon she was allowed to carry, seemed to be giving off the same dull glow as Colette's angelic bracelets, but when Genis looked closer there was no light there, making him wonder if the dark was playing tricks on his mind.

Ahead of the pack Lloyd kept moving, looking back occasionally at his friends as if to assure himself that they were all still there before he would keep going again. Sheena followed close at his side, attached like a shadow to his feet. Genis mused with a bit of a smile that they had been strangely inseparable since Lloyd's return, but he didn't really blame them. It was however perfect ammunition for a good round of teasing, which Genis planned on using once they were in higher spirits, or needed to bring the tension down.

His flash of good humour vanished as quickly as it came as he spotted his sister who had slowly but surely been drifting further back in the line. She moved gingerly and her face had become pinched as if the atmosphere was truly crushing her under its oppressive weight. Regal had noticed her behaviour too, and had slowed his pace to match hers. He looked worried but she waved off his offer to help her and soldiered on with a grim set of her jaw and a fiery look in her eyes that warned Genis to give her a wide berth despite his concern.

He turned his attention back to their once-more quickened pace, hoping that time would melt by as it did until their torch had grown useless to them. However as they continued further into the ever widening path, Genis felt his senses growing sharper and a tension growing in his stomach. Every step further only heightened his awareness, making him wonder if they were finally growing closer to the entrance Presea had described.

A glance around at his comrades proved he wasn't alone in his feelings, and just as he opened his mouth to pose the question on everyone's mind the tunnel simply opened up into a similar cavern that they had been transported into from the book. At the far end stood a pair of ebony gates that were thrown open wide, and on either side stood a torch that burned an eerie blue flame that did not touch the ancient wick that should had kept them lit.

The cavern stood empty and haunting, with the two torches casting a pale blue glow on the surroundings. As the group filed wearily inside, Presea spoke first to confirm their thoughts with a quiet murmur, "The gates of Niflheim..." She moved closer than the others, and quickly they shadowed her until she stood directly in front of the doors that stood as thick as her own body. "Niflheim is just beyond these doors... Demons... and Nebilim wait beneath for us."

Narrowing her eyes, Colette moved to Presea's side and followed her gaze upwards to the ceiling where the giant doors began. Without a word she took Lloyd's torch in her own hand and lifted it high, craning her neck to see a large inscription covering the width of the entrance. The others flocked around her, all likewise raising their eyes to see what she saw, but their human and elf gazes couldn't pierce the dark like hers could. She spoke slowly, haltingly as if unsure of what she was trying to read, "It's written in the angelic language... but I can't read it very well from here. I'll have to fly up to get a better look." As if struck by an idea, she turned to Tasogare and asked, "Can you maybe read it, Tasogare?"

To everyone's surprise the angel simply shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the characters that peered just out of the darkness and beckoned to be read. Her voice was flat as she answered, "I'm afraid you overestimate me. While I was a Chosen in name, I have no idea how to read the angelic language. Ancient elvish is my forte."

"I guess I'll go up then." Colette seemed a bit disappointed, but she made no other comments as she allowed her wings to burst from her shoulders and take form. She waited a moment as they unfurled and gave an experimental flap before kicking neatly off of the ground and allowing herself to be brought to a slight hover. She could see the thought of argument on Lloyd and Zelos' faces, and she was quick to hush them while gaining a few centimetres in height, "I'm the only one who can go up there and read it, and it's probably best that we read the message before we go in any deeper anyway, just in case. Who knows, it might even help us out."

"She has a point." Sheena chuckled at the matching scowls on the faces of the boys, and though she too was a bit worried about Colette going high and being out of their reach she knew better than to try and stop her. She gave her friend a playful wave and cautioned, "Be careful up there. If something jumps at you, just come back fast and we'll take care of it with you."

"Got it." Colette laughed and without another word she rocketed upwards with the torch still in hand. She was careful not to go too fast to avoid putting out the flame, and soon all she could see below her was soft pinpricks of the torches below at the gates. She followed the iron-studded doors closely, not wanting to lose herself in the murk as she came closer to the message she had spotted from the ground.

She came to a stop in the air, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes as she gazed at the message scrawled along the length of the wall. She had to fly to the left for a brief moment to fully get the entire thing as it spanned a good length walking, and once she was sure she had the entire thing memorized she began her descent.

In a small circle below waited her comrades, and she touched down neatly in the middle of them with a frown creasing her brow. She handed the torch back to Lloyd and then glanced back up self-consciously to the message once more hidden in the gloom. She raised a hand to her mouth and nipped at her thumb as she murmured, "It was written in the angelic language alright, but... I'm not sure if I read it right."

Tilting her head to the side, Sheena wondered what message up above would cause Colette to look so uncertain. She reached out and gently placed a hand on her friend's arm and asked quietly, "What do you think it said?"

Frowning deeply, Colette repeated slowly and with a sense of unrest coiling her stomach and freezing her blood, "It... It said; 'Creatures of Heaven are forbidden entry to the world of Niflheim. To violate this law is to surrender one's life. This is the will of Nebilim.'." She bit down hard on the pad of her thumb and asked softly, "What do you think it means by 'creatures of heaven'? Angels?"

"That is likely." Raine mused thoughtfully, and she glanced at Colette and then to Tasogare with a frown of her own. "Angels... I have a feeling that the message isn't just meaning half-elves who became angels using their Exspheres. It probably is inferring those who were granted angelic abilities during their journey as Chosens."

"So that means me and Tasogare have to stay behind?"

Zelos beat Lloyd to the protest with a firm, "As if. I may not have gone on the Journey of Regeneration like you did, but I'm still a Chosen. Even if I wasn't, I'm not letting you stay here alone with her." He motioned to Tasogare with a flick of his chin, and then folded his arms firm over his chest and added, "If you're staying behind, I am too."

"It would be wise to follow the message's advice, though I'm not keen on leaving anyone behind." Regal said slowly and with a tired shake of his head. No one else seemed overly eager to test the dire warning though they shared his sentiment, and finally he glanced to the three angels singled out to remain and questioned, "Are you sure that it would be acceptable to remain here at the entrance until we return?"

"I'm sure you guys can handle Nebilim without us." Colette replied with a little smile to hide her disappointment, but inwardly something was gladdened that she wasn't having to venture in deeper. Every bit of her soul cried out at being so deep underground, and the fact that she didn't need go any further gladdened her as much as she felt selfish for it. "Just promise to be careful and not to take too long."

"I'll keep an eye on them." Zelos answered firmly, and he glanced to Tasogare as if challenging her to make a comment. She didn't, but rather moved to the wall and sat down with her back against the cold onyx in answer to the question posed to her. "You can keep the torches, seeing as I don't think those candles on the wall are going to be going out anytime soon. Just leave us enough supplies for three and we'll be able to handle ourselves fine."

Frowning a little but knowing that it was useless to argue, Lloyd set his pack down as his comrades did the same. They sorted out their supplies quickly and set aside rations and medical kits for the three angels before turning their attention to the open gates. A shiver went through the group as they eyed the dim passage waiting ahead, and though torches now lined the walls, the tunnel showed no more welcome than before.

"How much further do you think we'll be walking before we reach Nebilim?" Genis asked quietly, reaching to handle the kendama resting in his belt impulsively. He didn't like the look of the passage, but he was well prepared for any fight the demon horde waiting ahead could give to him.

"A night and a day, if we continue the pace we have set with intervals of rest." Presea estimated idly, her gaze fixed on the shadows ahead as if she could see past them and into the depths of Niflheim. The faint memories of Nebilim stirred in her mind, mapping out the large floors that were connected through teleporters, each one bringing them lower and lower into the very core of the sprawling underworld until they reached Nebilim's chambers.

She could feel him calling to her. It was the same whisper she had heard when she had first been in the presence of the Devil's Arms, a voice of pure malevolence that tried to reach the emptiness she had believed was her soul. Now though she wasn't as fiercely stirred as she was before as she felt her friends standing firm beside her, worried for her and watching her with care. Still, his whisper echoed, forcing her to cling to the kind words that burned away so happy in her mind and heart. They muffled his call, his laughter and allowed her to think clearly.

Genis watched her carefully, and impulsively he reached to take a hold of her wrist. She jumped, startled by the touch and her eyes flew down to see the mage's small hand wrapped around her wrist like a bracelet. She stared at the hold for a moment, unsure of what to think as her heart picked up speed inside her chest and caused her stomach to knot. He gave it a gentle squeeze, then said firmly, "Let's go together and beat the crap out of him. We can do it."

"Yeah. Together we can do anything." Lloyd agreed with a firm nod. The sentiment was echoed around the circle, even those who were to remain behind showed the same feeling. They gazed into the dark, and with a firm handle on one sword and the torch that was yet to burn out, Lloyd took the first of many steps into the mouth of Niflheim where Nebilim awaited their arrival.

* * *

**Strata One**

**Floor Five**

"On your right!"

Lloyd turned instinctively at the sharp call and with a quick drop of his sword he cut straight through the skeletal soldier that had been about to pierce him through with its spear. Flamberge crackled in response to his command, and he set the sword down in the middle of the pile of bones that the warrior had collapsed into once it had been defeated. Immediately the rubble caught fire, and he let out a weary sigh as the sounds of battle came to a stop all around him.

"Is everyone doing okay?" Glancing around, Lloyd was gladdened to see that none of his friends had been sorely wounded by the ambush of monsters. There seemed to be no end to them inside of the dungeon they had been teleported to once they'd passed the gates, and with each step they took forward another mob would appear to impede their progress. No one seemed sure of where they came from, as the dungeon itself was vast and impossible to fully comprehend.

They were confined on what seemed like a floating platform in the middle of a dark void sporadically lit with flame and lightning in the midst of the murk. Below their feet was a floor that seemed like glass, tinted a bloody red colour that darkened with each floor they passed. At the end of each path stood a teleporter which always brought them to a similar looking floor, and only the darkening glass-like substance beneath their feet proved they were actually making any progress deeper into Niflheim.

"The transporter must be up ahead. That's the sixth pack that's attacked since we arrived." Regal muttered wearily, and he stretched his aching muscles as he glanced around the smoldering piles of rubble that littered the floor. They had found it necessary to burn the remains of the skeletal soldiers, as when they didn't they had a horrible habit of reforming and attacking them while their backs were turned.

Genis narrowed his eyes as he cast out a fireball from his hand to burn the last pile of bones that had yet to be set alight, and then he turned with anxious eyes to see how his sister was faring. Light-based magic had proven to be a deadly weakness to the army of skeletons, and Raine had been instrumental of clearing many of the large groups that had attacked them. His sister met his gaze firmly and she didn't look none less for wear, much to his relief. "They just keep on coming..."

"There likely won't be an end to them either. This place is the home of more demons and monsters than we can probably imagine." Raine replied tiredly, and with a shiver she tightened the tie of her robe to better keep herself warm. The atmosphere was cold and oppressive, and the repeated battles had begun wearing on everyone. She turned to Presea, who was examining the blade of her Gaia Cleaver to check for any wear on the great weapon and asked quietly, "Presea, do you know how much further we have to go?"

"Niflheim consists of fifteen floors in total. At the bottom floor is a passageway that leads directly to Nebilim's chambers." Presea answered without looking up from her examination, and she ran her thumb carefully over the bone dust that coated the edge of her weapon. She looked up after assuring herself that the great axe she had received from her father was indeed intact and continued, "However each floor will be more difficult than the next. It would be best if we rest before pushing forward."

"I second that motion." Sheena laughed tiredly, and without further words she flopped down into a sitting position on the cold floor beneath. Her bare skin cooled immediately when she touched the crystalline floor, but she didn't mind the sensation after having been gripping her battle cards for a full half an hour of hard battle. "Yeesh... I think I've gotten a bit lazy without monsters constantly chasing us around."

"It has been awhile since we battled monsters, hasn't it?" Raine asked thoughtfully, and she rubbed her cooling palms together idly. The first attack of the undead soldiers had startled all of them and had been difficult, but as they met gang after gang of the cursed monsters they found their instincts sharpening once more and allowing the battle to flow easier. She tilted her head as she murmured, "It is a good thing battle instincts never truly dull."

Genis nodded in agreement though he mused the thought shouldn't exactly have cheered him. A silent sort of melancholy had fallen over the group, and he could see their thoughts almost as clearly as he could form his own. They had all hoped for peace after the routing of the Desian forces and the defeat of Mithos Yggdrasil, and had tried stepping into new lives. That silence had been shattered, and no one seemed sure if they would ever be able to truly adjust.

Sensing the change of mood in his friends, Lloyd decided to break it as best he could by asking, "Professor, you knew about the Necronomicon, right? Do you know much about Nebilim? Or at least, what was ever written about him when Mithos wrote him out as some demon king?"

Sheena looked up with interest, her eyes bright with curiosity as she turned to look at the surprised Raine. The professor looked bemused by the sudden question, but all too quickly she was frowning in that familiar way of hers as she wracked her mind for every bit of information she could dredge up about the slandered Summon Spirit. Everyone else also turned their gaze to her, and she couldn't suppress a smile at the nostalgia the stares brought to her.

Leaning back slightly against the black iron railing that she was using like the back of a chair, Raine gazed up into the darkness hanging above as a ceiling as she mused, "I assume from lack of material on Nebilim that the smear campaign was almost entirely complete. He was demonized to the point of almost completely passing him off as a creature of fiction; a ghost story to frighten children into going to sleep at night. As you all remember when doing battle with Abyssion, he sincerely believed that Nebilim was a great demon king, a lord of evil from many centuries ago. However, again from personal experience, we do know that malevolence is indeed a true quality of his."

"Lock up any person for over four thousand years and they're bound to be a little bit pissed off about it." Sheena pointed out dryly, and though Lloyd really didn't want to, he chuckled bitterly at the dark humour. He felt great hatred still for his captors, and he had only been jailed for a handful of months. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be locked up for hundreds of years on end, or what it could do to a person.

"That is true enough." Raine conceded with a nod of her head in Sheena's direction, but she did not smile as she understood the black emotions that ran deep in both her and Lloyd's thoughts. No one else dared to either, and the professor continued, "From my knowledge, as I never had the chance to study the Necronomicon personally," at that she glanced evilly at Genis, who shrugged with a look of complete and utter unrepentance, "the book held numerous dark arts, one of which was necromancy, or the ability to resurrect the dead."

"Considering Nebilim is the Summon Spirit of Death, that must have been how the information about the Necronomicon was stilted." Regal guessed with a frown, and he looked over his shoulder at Presea, who hadn't sat and was gazing off into th distance without a word. He knew though that she was paying close attention to their musing, though he had to wonder how much she already knew, having been in contact with the Summon Spirit once before. "I do wonder about the Devil's Arms, however. Was having them all together a key for possibly breaking Nebilim from his prison?"

"It may have been. He was sealed in the book here, wasn't he?" Raine shrugged, though her mind was spinning with the possibility. She had to shiver at the idea that they may have unwittingly released the sealed Summon Spirit without truly knowing what he was capable of. With a shake of her head however she dashed the thought, knowing that they were now actively searching for him anyway. "Perhaps gathering together the objects he had influence over, then giving him a body to possess would have made him much stronger than an ordinary human. This is purely conjecture, but perhaps from there he hoped to break his essence entirely out of the book once he was able to function fully on our plane."

"That was his plan." Presea spoke firmly, and all eyes immediately flew to her face. Her eyes were cold but sure, and she clenched her fingers around the handle of her axe as she muttered, "The book binds him here... but with enough of his scattered power in our world brought to a single point of focus... He could have managed his escape. With the Necronomicon destroyed however, he no longer has any hope of release... unless we form a pact with him, and destroy this book."

"I can't honestly say I'm overly eager to let this guy loose." Sheena admitted with a little shudder, but even as she spoke the words she felt the iron resolve that had made her march down here without argument. She did admit aloud with a bit of venom, "Of course, I'm also not overly eager to be here on that angel's suggestion either. I still want to give her a taste of her own medicine."

Lloyd was silent as the statement was mimicked by his companions, and he noticed with a frown that Presea too said nothing. He glanced sidelong at Genis, who he had only recently learned had been saved by the stoic angel and frowned. He knew from experience Tasogare only did things that would give her an advantage later on, but still he found nothing that she could have gained by saving him. It didn't strengthen their trust in her at all, as they all had suspected her motives anyway, and she had to have known that was the case. 'An open act of defiance against Auin in front of us maybe might have made us thought of siding with her if we knew we had an enemy in common, and Raine did say she'd thought about it once or twice... but I still don't know. Colette said that she thinks there's something good in her, but I can't believe...'

The thought stopped completely, and he swallowed as he remembered the one example of her strange kindness that had stuck with him. He could still see that hurt woman touching the angel on the arm, thanking her in that melodious language he didn't know. He remembered her fury, the look of contempt and hatred that had brought golden life into her eyes when she'd told him that she had only once been able to personally save one of Auin's victims. He could have chalked it up to her again undermining her brother in any way she could... but he knew better.

'No one fakes anger like that... For what it's worth, she did save that woman. She did save Genis. I don't trust her, and I definitely don't like her... but there maybe is... _something_... alive in her yet.'

"Do you think Colette and Zelos are alright back in the entrance?"

The question from Genis brought Lloyd back to the present, and he looked up in surprise at the concern colouring his best friend's voice. The young mage was frowning and absently fingering the handle of his kendama as he tended to do in his nervousness, and he continued on almost awkwardly, "I mean... I know they could both handle themselves in a scrap and stuff, but... I keep on thinking of that message about heavenly beings. Why do you think Nebilim would forbid angels to be in Niflheim?"

Raine tilted her head to the side, but it was obvious from the narrowing of her eyes that the thought had been on her mind too. She folded her arms across her stomach, and then said methodically, "Bear with me as this may not make sense at first, but there is something I noticed during our last journey... The elements that make up this world... Each and every element has an opposing component; fire and ice, earth and air, light and darkness... But Colette's angelic powers are an element of their own, with no opposite power to weaken them."

"And the only Summon Spirits that aren't tied down to elements are Origin and Maxwell, but Colette's powers don't match either of them." Sheena continued for her, catching onto what was stirring in Raine's mind as she spoke. She bit down on her thumbnail, furrowing her eyebrows as she mused, "Nebilim is the Summon Spirit of Death... Do you think he forbid angelic beings from entering his domain because his powers are the opposing element of angels?"

"I cannot say for certain as no one has measured Colette's angelic abilities, and the same could be said for Nebilim, but I would wager on it being so." Raine answered with a firm nod and a bit of a sigh. She took in another deep breath before plunging on, "However, the laws of the world have always followed the principles of yin and yang, and it would make sense that the powers of angels would have an opposing force that they counteract, and seeing as Nebilim forbade angels entering his domain..."

Genis chuckled a bit, amused that his sister had given so much thought to something that had never really crossed anyone's minds before. Though it did little to really helping along their current problem, it did go a ways in answering the questions they had. "Your theory makes the most sense, and I'm willing to believe it at any rate. Though it's a bit annoying to think Nebilim tipped the scales before we even challenged him."

"This _is_ his world." Lloyd shrugged a little though he was likewise frustrated to know that the playing field wasn't as even as he would have preferred it to be. "It makes sense that he'd make it so he wasn't threatened. It just means we're going to have to come at him even harder since we can't shoot for his weakness."

"Exactly." Sheena agreed with a grim smile, and she pushed herself easily to her feet as her muscles cried for use again. The rest had done wonders for her, and she felt the eagerness for battle returning. It had been too long since she had been able to truly fight, and her body itched for it now. "We better get going again. Sitting around isn't going to bring us any closer to getting out of here."

"That is true." Regal agreed with a bit of a sigh, but he ambled neatly to his feet and helped Raine to her own with an extended hand. He stretched his arms and legs briefly, watching as his comrades did the same to fully get over the rest, before turning his gaze to the lone path that they guessed led to the next transporter.

With weapons at the ready they began the trek down the path which they knew would lead them eventually to the next. They marched in a loose formation, always keeping eyes roaming in case another legion of soldiers would spring from the shadows ahead. Their ears however proved to be more useful as a disembodied noise floated through the silence, causing them to halt in the tracks abruptly when they first heard it.

Lloyd raised his swords instinctively, but instead of the sound of bony feet slapping the crystalline floor, he heard the sound of laughter, low and hoarse that echoed from everywhere and came from nowhere. Confused he turned a quick circle as if expecting to meet the owner of the voice, and on silent command the group formed a circle, keeping their shoulders pressed tight and their backs guarded.

The laughter grew louder when they raised their weapons as if to fight, and Lloyd winced as the sound burrowed right into his brain like a nail. He raised a hand to his ear, wishing the noise would stop, and from the pained expressions on his friend's faces he knew they suffered the same idea.

As if the owner of the laughter heard their thoughts, it cut off almost at once. Then the voice spoke in a low hissing tone reminiscent of a snake that had learned to growl, "You have come further than expected of thin-skinned humans... but you know not of what you face. This is our world, mortals, and you do not belong here."

Lloyd called back first as he realized it was not Nebilim who was speaking to him but some other creature that called Niflheim its home, "We know exactly where we are, and we're not leaving until we get what we want! If you're hoping to scare us off, you've chosen the wrong bunch of mortals to threaten!"

"Scare you off...?" The chuckle came again, but the painful sound was now smooth and silken with genuine amusement. Though they had no idea what the owner of the voice looked like, they all could picture a great head, decaying and dead shaking from side to side in exasperation and indulgence. "No, short-lived ones... We do not wish to scare you off. What we wish is for you to come to us... to journey deeper into our realm... so that we may catch you... So that we may kill you."

* * *

**Outer Rim of the Underworld**

**Gates of Niflheim**

Colette was silent as she munched thoughtfully on a piece of melon from her fruit salad, and she glanced around the dark encampment that had been made not too far from the thick onyx gates that made the mouth of the gaping underworld. The huge candles that stood by the doors roared on as bright and odd as ever, and she had watched as the magical blue lights never once came within a hair's breadth of the wick that sat below.

Though the lighting was dim, Colette could see every inch of the giant circle that made their resting grounds until their friends came back. The ground was bare and the walls unadorned, proving that while the gates were simple, they were terrifying because of their presence in the otherwise empty hall. She sat closest to the left door, while Zelos was at the right. Tasogare sat further away from them by the wall, bracing her back on the cold stone and blending easily with the shadows.

The angel had spoken no words since their travel into Niflheim, and Zelos hadn't looked as if he wanted to entertain her. Rather he was almost as silent, only speaking occasionally to ask if Colette was feeling alright or if she was hungry. Now the redhead was picking at a sandwich without looking as if he was very hungry at all, but Colette didn't fail to notice that his Last Fencer lay on the ground and his right hand never once had left its handle since the others had left.

She had also noticed that Tasogare had not eaten. Though she had seen this before, a sense of common courtesy forced Colette to amble to her feet and pull her pack over her shoulder. Zelos stirred as he watched her stand, but he said nothing in protest as she began striding across the cave to meet the angel by the wall. His hand however did tighten noticeably around the hilt of his sword, and his eyes narrowed when Colette came close enough for Tasogare to lunge at her if she had a mind to.

For all her trusting, Colette still stopped once she reached that range, but her voice was polite as she questioned the statue of an angel in front of her, "Are you hungry? You haven't eaten at all. You must need something." Tasogare opened her eyes, and that look of exasperation cooled her golden gaze as she looked upon the smiling Colette. The blond continued as if she didn't notice the silent warning to leave her alone, "I like my food rather sweet, so it might not be your kind of thing to eat... but you're welcome to have some if you're hungry."

This almost succeeded in bringing out a wry chuckle from the angel, but instead all she did was shake her head with a sigh of annoyance. She did not move her arms, which were resting on her knees as she sat casually against the wall, but her hands did twitch a little as she answered bluntly, "I do not eat. My body does not require nourishment as yours does."

"Do you not have your sense of taste anymore?" Colette asked in confusion, remembering clearly how it felt to be robbed of her senses one by one until she was little more than a walking husk. Still, when her soul had returned to her body she had been freed of that loss, and she was confused that the same clearly had not taken place with Tasogare. "But you can feel pain, so you can still feel things. What about sleep?"

Tasogare didn't answer, she instead drew her knees against her chest and turned her gaze to the ceiling which was beyond even her keen eyesight. She felt no need to explain herself to the inquisitive blond, and with the growing annoyance she sensed from her Tethe'allan counterpart, she wouldn't have spoken even if she wanted to.

Colette let out a frustrated sigh but she didn't press any further though she clearly wanted to. Instead she began to trot back to her original position, thinking that now that her appetite was soured she would put away the rest of her lunch and try to find something else to occupy her time.

She was halfway there when she stopped dead in her tracks, the movement so sharp and sudden that the other two immediately focussed their attention on her once again. Colette was silent as she froze in place, and sightly she tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing in concentration as a cold shiver raced up her spine.

Zelos moved to his feet at once, sensing that something was amiss even though he couldn't feel what Colette was feeling. His eyes were narrowed too, and he asked quietly, hesitantly as he took a step towards her, "Colette?"

"Shh." Colette hastened to quiet him, and to her relief he obediently fell silent and stopped moving. Colette could hear Tasogare shifting to her feet, but the angel was otherwise silent too, giving the blond a chance to focus her senses. She wasn't sure what it was that she had heard, but she knew that a voice had whispered somewhere in the distance. She closed her eyes, straining herself to the limits to catch the sound again that hovered just out of reach of her earshot.

Frowning in concern, Zelos struggled to keep himself in place and silent. He knew if he stepped forward he would distract Colette from whatever she was trying to do, but it felt like torture as the seconds dragged on into minutes. He glanced over suspiciously at Tasogare, but the angel had no expression and was staring fixedly at Colette with benign sort of curiosity.

Whatever noise Colette was searching for seemed to be found again if only faintly as she whispered aloud in surprise and bafflement, "Someone's... singing...?" She stepped forward uncertainly, and she turned her head reflexively to the left as if she could hear better that way. She advanced a little more, sidestepping around Zelos as her path took her closer to the gates but halted as she whispered again, "It's so... faint..."

Now completely baffled, Zelos again looked to Tasogare. To his shock the angel looked just as confused as he, and he thought dumbly that her senses were on par with Colette's, perhaps surpassing them because of her age and experience. He turned back to Colette, wondering just what was going on when he noticed something horribly wrong.

Colette had gone completely still, her hands half-raised as her eyes widened with slowly dawning horror. Her face went pale in the dim light, and her lips moved soundlessly for a brief moment. At first Zelos wasn't sure what was happening as she began to tremble violently, and he had no time to react before she hit the floor on her knees, her hands clapping over her ears as she cried out in agony, "No! No, stop!"

Zelos moved like the wind to her side, and Tasogare started forward instinctively but then halted as if she had hit a wall that rejected her presence. Falling to his knees beside her, Zelos reached to steady her by the shoulders as he called in worry, "Colette! Colette, what's wrong?! Come on angel, talk to me!"

Colette didn't react to him, rather she began to rock back and forth as if in the midst of a painful dream. Her eyes were wide and full of tears, and she was sobbing as she pressed her hands desperately against her ears in a vain attempt to stem the sound she was hearing from boring into her brain. Her voice was broken and hoarse, full of agony as she whimpered repeatedly, "Make it stop... Oh please, make it stop...! No more!"

"Colette!" Zelos almost shouted in his concern, but he may as well have been yelling at a boulder. She didn't even seem to know that he was there. She just kept on rocking back and forth, whimpering and sobbing. Then his stomach suddenly dropped to the floor as he saw small beads of blood dripping down from between her fingers. Her fingernails were gouging into the skin around her ears as if she was trying to rip them off in her panic, and he gaped in horror as the beads became thin streams. Unthinkingly he grabbed her wrists and tried in vain to pull her hands away before she could damage herself any further, but she was too strong and too struck to even notice him. All the while as he struggled, her blood continued to flow, dripping soundlessly onto his knees as she begged for the noise to stop.

**AN:**

**Dun dun dah! -ducks incoming missiles-**

**As much as I try to make it all come together and give logical reasoning to what I write... sometimes I just don't believe half of the stuff my brain comes up with. XD I hope my readers find it digestible though... I like where it's going though, so I won't complain too much, heheh.**

**Wow, thirty whole chapters! I feel like I should say something important to mark the landmark... but all I can think of is; "I like cheese." No, I'm serious. I am totally craving cheese right now, and I do not know why. -wanders off to the fridge-**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD FANFIC! (Don't ask me why I say that. I do not know. But it sounds funny, so I like saying it. 8D) I actually finished this before Christmas! -immense self-pride- Hopefully this tides you over, lol. I likely won't update again until after the New Year Celebration... that is, if we don't all die first. -shot for mentioning the Mayans- Oops, I shouldn't have said that. My bad! -dances offstage-**

**Mood: Peckish (Is that even a mood?)**

**Listening To: "Bad End Night" - Vocaloid Eight (Miku, Len, Rin, Meiko, Gackupo, Kaito, Gumi and Luka)**

**~ Sky**


	32. Battles of Fear

**Outer Rim of the Underworld**

**Gates of Niflheim**

His hands still locked about Colette's wrists, the redheaded Chosen gave a hard yank that did nothing to break the blond's hold on her ears. Blood was flowing freely now from the gouges she was digging into herself, and desperate, Zelos looked up and called for the angel who hadn't spoken a word in all the chaos but her name died on his lips. She was still standing where she had halted when the mess had begun, but her body language was reminiscent of someone who had just walked into a familiar place to find it completely alien.

Tasogare was frighteningly pale, and her eyes were wide and staring at something on the ground that Zelos didn't see. Her right hand was on the hilt of her sword, and she was breathing heavily like she had been running a marathon. Her left hand however held the right by the wrist, stopping herself instinctively from drawing her sword, but her gaze on the floor not far from her feet never wavered. She inhaled sharply like she'd been struck and staggered backwards a step, and the hand on her wrist squeezed sharply as her arm flexed impulsively in preparation to strike at whatever she saw.

Zelos looked at that spot, but saw nothing. The ground was empty, and he couldn't imagine what Tasogare was seeing that upset her so. His worry was split two ways as he noticed her struggling to not grasp her sword, but Colette was still crying and digging her wounds even deeper as the sound refused to break off and give her a moment of peace.

Her voice was broken and tears spilled freely along with her blood over her cheeks as she buried her face against Zelos' chest, though she didn't seem to realize he was even there. She continued to rock, moaning low in her throat as her eyes squeezed shut in pain, "Please, stop...!"

His mind spinning, Zelos did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Colette roughly and pulled her into his chest and then raised his hand as he held her against him with the other. He focussed his power, wishing he was more skilled in the use of magic as he ground out, "_Guardian_!"

His mana obeyed his call and burst from his hand in the form of a pale green half circle. Immediately the shield spread out as Zelos closed his eyes in concentration, and it swelled in size until Tasogare was also inside of the barrier. The reaction to his protective spell was instantaneous.

Colette went limp against him, sobbing with relief as she pulled her hands away from her ears almost timidly. Zelos' hold doubled on her trembling body, though he kept one hand pointed to the roof of his shield, not daring to release it until he had an idea of what the hell had happened. She whispered through her tears, burying her face in his shoulder, "It stopped... Thank you... It stopped..."

Tasogare hit the floor hard, falling to all fours with a low groan. Her breathing came in quick and panic-filled bursts, and she swallowed convulsively, struggling not to vomit. Her heartbeat pounded out of control in her ears, overriding all of her senses as she tried to get a grip on reality as the horrid image faded from her brain.

Breathing steadily to keep his control focussed on the shield, Zelos gently drew Colette away from him with one hand. She went willingly enough, her eyes red-rimmed as the last of her tears stopped falling. He brushed away the streaks on her cheeks and reassured her quietly, "It's over. It's okay, you're fine. Just take some deep breaths."

Colette obeyed gratefully, and she closed her eyes as Zelos turned her head from one side to the other, examining the damage she had done. Her golden hair was dyed red from her bloody scratches, and the gouges themselves still bled freely. He scowled as he tucked her hair behind her ears, and let out a curse as he saw just how badly she had injured herself in her fright, "Dammit. What the hell _happened_?"

"You didn't... hear them?" Eyes widening in confusion, Colette's hands dropped from the belt she had just untied from her waist to do up her hair to stop the golden locks from further growing damp from her blood. Zelos would have tied her hair for her but his left hand remained in the air, and she asked again as she noticed him scowling in puzzlement, "The voices... you didn't hear them screaming?"

"I heard _you_." Zelos shook his head, feeling his gut pinching as Colette tied up her hair. Though he knew it was best she do it so he could see and treat the wounds, the sight of the ugly hurts made his stomach turn. Four crescent-shaped marks circled her upper ear, and as he turned her head again he noticed a fifth from her thumb scored the area behind her earlobes. He rummaged in his pack with one hand to grab a gel from his medical kit, and he continued with narrowing eyes, "There wasn't any screaming, at least not that I could hear. Is that what upset you?"

Colette gave a shiver, but she took the proffered gel from Zelos' hand and delicately began to rub a tiny amount into her wounds. She hissed reflexively at the stinging sensation, but with one of the redhead's hands guiding her movement she continued the treatment as she answered weakly, "There were so many voices... They were all screaming at me... I could never make out the words, but it never stopped... and there was so much hate... so much _pain_... I couldn't stand it. It was deafening. How _couldn't _you hear it?"

"It was a torture designed specifically for you."

Zelos turned sharply, having almost forgotten Tasogare in the chaos. The angel had sat up now, but her face was still ashen and beaded with sweat. He noticed her right wrist was bleeding, and mused that she had likely impaled herself with her fingernails in an effort to stop herself from drawing her sword. He frowned, asked with a deadly note in his voice, "What do you mean? Torture? You knew about this?"

"If I had known about this, Wilder, I assure you I _never _would have stepped foot in this hell." Tasogare answered sharply and with more menace than Zelos had ever heard from her. Her golden eyes were haunted, and she was still breathing heavily. Though he despised her for what she had done and who she was, he believed her when she glared at him with those ancient and stricken golden eyes. She continued in a more controlled voice after a beat, "I only guess because you were the only one unaffected. The spell must have been meant for angelic creatures to experience."

Scowling, Zelos wasn't sure if he was relieved or angry that he was spared because he had never completed the trials the two women before him had. He turned his frustration inward, forcing himself to concentrate on the shield he had erected which had nearly disintegrated when he'd lost his focus. Though he had no idea if the spell had stopped, after the panic it had caused he wasn't about to take chances. "You think Nebilim sent it our way as a warning? Or maybe a really sadistic greeting card?"

"I would say a greeting card would be more likely. We have not set foot in Niflheim as the laws dictate, but we are obviously still within his sphere of influence. He wants us to know that he is well aware we are here." Tasogare guessed with an impassive shrug of her shoulders, but her expression did not match her body language. Her heartbeat had finally settled again, but in her brain was seared the image Nebilim had created. She glanced up at the shield that had driven away the spell and allowed herself a wan smile as she mused, "A protective barrier formed from your usual anti-magic shield... Yet you will not be able to keep it up forever. It will deplete your mana stores within ten minutes at the most."

"Yeah well, if you want to take your chances out in the open, you're more than welcome." Zelos growled back venomously, and from the shadow that flitted through her golden eyes, the redhead Chosen knew she wasn't about to take up his challenge. He turned back to Colette, his voice softening as he watched her finish up with her treatment, "Does it hurt much? I have some bandages if you want to give that a shot."

"No, I think I'll be okay." Colette attempted to smile but her lips refused to form the expression properly. She bit down on her lower lip guiltily, feeling a surge of shame go through her as he stared at her worriedly. Eager to squash the feeling, she tried changing the subject with a concerned, "What about you? Tasogare is right, you won't be able to keep your shield up for much longer. I can try putting up a barrier after you if you need me to."

Sighing and shaking his head with exasperation, Zelos tugged Colette into his chest again by her shoulder. She tumbled against him with a startled squeak, but was silenced as he hugged her close and whispered softly into her ear, "Don't try and play off what happened to you. I know it was terrifying, and I know you're still hurting. It's alright to cry once in awhile when you need to. You don't always have to put on a smile."

'How does he always see right through me?' Colette closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself a moment to just relax in his arms and feel the tenderness of his embrace. She was surprised he had tossed aside her facade so easily, but she was more relieved by his unreserved acceptance. "Thank you, Zelos..."

"It's alright." Zelos repeated quietly, and he kissed the top of her head and gave her one more squeeze. He would have done more but he was painfully aware of his audience. Tasogare was looking away politely, but her lips were curved in a wan smile that succeeded in irritating him again. He wondered bitterly if she only held contempt for any emotional ties, but he decided it didn't matter as he felt the flow of mana in his body threaten to sway out of control. Wincing a little as he forced his focus back to the shield, he grumbled between grit teeth, "As much as I hate to admit it, I'm really not going to be able to handle this for much longer. And I doubt either of you will last longer than I did, so we either have got to haul our asses into the tunnel or take a chance and hope the spell has ran its course."

"Moving away would be the best bet. I don't want to stay here if there's a chance Nebilim will come after us again." Colette murmured with a shake of her head and an instinctive tremble. She pushed herself carefully to her feet, glancing around the cavern with a weary frown. "Though, would he...? It had to have taken a lot of power to cast a spell like that."

"The spell was a potent one." Tasogare agreed with a frown of her own, but her arms remained locked around her body and proved she wasn't content to push her luck. "However I would rather move than remain by a wide margin. Nebilim has no love for angelic creatures, and he will strike again if he feels the need to teach us a lesson for even stepping foot inside his world."

The discomfort in her voice and the darkness in her eyes stirred Zelos' suspicion, and though he knew he was pushing a creature who didn't tolerate it, he asked her shortly, "Just what the hell did he do to _you_ anyway?"

"That would be of no concern to you." Tasogare replied just as crisply, and her eyes flared with such emotion that though it rankled him, Zelos dropped the subject. She then moved to her feet gingerly, and moved to the very edge of his protective shield before saying flatly, "Regardless of your choice, I will not remain here a moment longer than necessary."

"I agree with Tasogare. I... don't want to be here." Colette's voice was a low whisper, and she made no effort to hide her anxiety now as she also stood up. With one arm locked around herself and the other curled in Zelos', the blond angel murmured, "Let's get as far away as we can. We can leave a message for Lloyd and the others explaining that we had to go deeper into the caves."

Zelos sighed, but he knew he'd never be able to say no to her, especially after the horrific scene of torture that he had just witnessed. He had been scared for Colette, but as his gaze moved to a still Tasogare who had her back to him, his stomach clenched tightly in unease. He wouldn't dare put either of them in a position where the angel who'd stood her ground with him using daggers would be out of control and using a sword. He reached into his pack, grabbing some bandages and the edge of a burnt out torch to write with. "Let me write something down for 'em and then we'll go."

Scrawling the message down hastily, Zelos set down the makeshift note underneath a package of handful of stray stones to ensure it would remain on the ground after they left. He then ambled to his feet, glancing up uncertainly at the hand that had remained raised and kept the shield intact in case the spell hadn't faded away yet. He took in a deep breath, turning his face to the tunnel that led up and away from the gates. He watched the angels around him tense, readying to flee, and he curled his hands into fists as he growled out the single order on everyone's minds as he let the shield drop.

"Let's boot it."

* * *

**Inner Niflheim**

**Strata Two**

**Floor Ten**

Blood peppered the air as the giant blade carved a perfect circle around the hand that wielded it so effortlessly. Cries of pain and surprise followed the stroke, and a laugh that rolled like thunder broke above the pained din. Wielding the blade of strange discoloured light twice as long as the oldest of the fighters stood tall, the Hell Knight towered over the surrounding heroes, his blood-red eyes glinting with lust for battle as he stood astride his demonic mount.

From his bruised violet skin seemed to rise a pale red mist, and his laugh came from deep within his throat and rolled around the empty arena that had been chosen as the battlefield. Almost elegantly the similarly coloured creature he seemed to ride as a mount skipped backwards, allowing those who had been knocked over to stand again, and he called out in that same hoarse and disconnected voice he had used to taunt them from afar, "Is this all you pathetic humans can muster against me? I feel pity for you. How foolish you were, marching into the domain of the demons, thinking you could overwhelm us with your puny strength."

Lloyd wiped blood from his split lip with the back of his hand, feeling the cold of the Vorpal Sword beginning to seep up his arm as Flamberge began to burn in unison. His eyes narrowed and a dangerous smile curved his lips upwards as the demon creature who seemed fused to his mount took a single step forward. He could feel his friends tensing around him, readying for his attack and preparing to release their own as a counter, and he chuckled in the face of the insult. "You don't seem to understand us humans too well, do you? What have you done besides knocking us down once or twice? We're back up on our feet, aren't we?"

"He's got a few neat tricks, but nothing we can't beat." Genis added on with a shake of his head, and the left hand that held his kendama began to glow as he twisted his wrist and began bouncing the ball attached to the instrument. He met the undaunted crimson gaze of his giant enemy and laughed with scorn, "The bigger they are, the harder they always fall!"

For the first time, the armoured knight that sat partially fused to a twisted dragon-like creature faltered. The hand that had held out its giant beam blade dropped half of an inch as he seemed to realize the humans he had mocked would not simply lay down and die for him. His crimson eyes, stoked of the hellfire that had given the creature his name, faded ever so slightly with disbelief. As quickly as the moment came it passed, and that same eerie laugh rolled again, "Such arrogance! You are mortals... creatures of the daylight and pleasure. You will taste the true power of darkness before this battle is over!"

"Then perhaps you should understand the power of light before you belittle us!" Raine's shout rang out like a whip, and from behind the protective screen of fighters that had hid her as she charged her mana for the spell, she raised her staff high and felt the flood of power ripple inside of her skin. "Ray!"

The burning light erupted from the very tip of her staff, dancing forward as a circle until it hovered directly above their enemy. Within seconds of its birth, the ball of compressed light exploded, raining down as a holy fire on the giant creature that menaced them. The columns of light streamed down in different angles, each piercing the knight through due to its size. With a scream of pain and fury the knight had no choice but to buckle underneath the attack, raising its arms and changing its great blade into a shield of the same beam-like material in a last-ditch attempt to protect itself.

Genis laughed coldly at the attempt to escape the magic, and he called out above the knight's roars of agony, "You may wanna look beneath you if you think that's all you've got to worry about..." He raised his hand, feeling the Exsphere embedded in the back of his palm let loose a burst of warmth as he summoned its power and called aloud, _"I call upon thee in the land of the dead to unleash thine fury of thunder...!_"

The Knight roared his fury and advanced forward, but found himself blocked as Lloyd swiped expertly at the clawed feet of the dragon he rode. His mount screeched its displeasure, leaning forward instinctively to snap at the red-clad swordsman, but the second it lowered its head Sheena was there, swiping her sharpened cards against the gaps in its protective collar that allowed the knight to keep it under his control.

The dragon pushed forward stubbornly, despite the dark blood now flowing through the iron studded collar around its neck. It's advance only earned a badly slashed foreleg for its trouble as Lloyd dodged its dripping fangs and molten breath. It whirled to lash the offender with his tail, but a slicing agony from the spiked appendage caused its great two legs to buckle. Standing on the tip of its tail to keep it pinned was Regal, and Presea had slammed her axe down with all her strength to pin the great length to the floor by piercing it through.

Screeching again in pain the dragon tried to rear up, kicking out violently with first one foot then the other, but both Lloyd and Sheena were simply too quick to be caught with such blows. Lashing out with sword and card, the ninja and swordsman moved expertly together to keep the dragon busy while the knight attempted to regain control of both his mount and his temper.

Regal moved with breakneck speed up the tail and onto the dragon itself, his feet never losing their purchase even as the creature bucked and writhed underneath the assault on its front. Roaring in unison with its bloodied mount, the knight attempted to turn to meet Regal's attack, but found itself unable to do so. At the crest of his run up the dragon's spine, Regal threw himself into a backflip, arcing his body in a perfect crescent as his feet came up last, each greave meeting the exposed side of the knight to tear at its unprotected flesh.

A furious and agonized scream from the wounded knight threatened to break their eardrums, but the time bought by the frontline warriors had done the job as Genis commanded in a loud yell, "We're ready! Get out of the way unless you wanna get toasted too!"

Everyone followed the order immediately, with Presea dancing backwards without her axe to leave the giant creature stuck in the ground. It had tried to pull its massive tail loose, but the edge of the hunter's weapon only deepened its gouge if it moved, and unable to cause itself more pain by struggling, the dragon had no choice but to remain where it was.

Now, dark purple runes underneath Genis' feet glowed bright with the massive infusion of his power, and on his silent signal they left him to find their home underneath the still reeling Hell Knight. Before the monstrous demon could try once more to escape, a curtain of electric energy rose from the ground and began to hum its deadly song of power. Genis smiled as his kendama pulsed in time with the spell that was awaiting his final command, and he seemed to chuckle as he looked at Raine, who still held her staff aloft with that same holy energy awaiting her next call, "Let's finish him, eh, sis?"

"Yes, let's." Raine agreed quietly, her eyes dancing with flames of their own as she took her place next to her brother, pointing her staff like a sword ahead of her as Genis mimicked her move.

Flickers of pure mana swirled around the siblings, shading them in hues of the rainbow in the grim and dark arena. Their blue eyes seemed to imbued with similar sparks of magic, and they spoke in unison in a cool and detached tone that was loaded with magical energy as their combined spells gave rise to an even more powerful spell.

"_Prism Stars._"

From everywhere and yet seemingly nowhere, stars of every colour, shape and size exploded in a fantastic array of light before plunging with heedless velocity into the trapped Hell Knight. They seemed to do no damage, leaving no marks as they passed completely through the demon's body, armour and all, to emerge from the other side and vanish into the air from where they had been summoned. Still, the demon roared and writhed with pain at every star that touched his flesh without leaving a single mark to speak of.

The demonic mount shook wildly, heedless of the axe that now was in danger of severing its tail. The stars were falling with greater violence, coming from all angles and slicing its way through flesh to leave no injuries but still cause intense pain. Its rider was roaring in agony, shaking and twitching as if the stars were physical blows, lashing its body one way and the next whenever it was struck.

The siblings stood like stone, their weapons levelled and the light of their cosmic spell bathing them in a strange glow of magic. Their eyes danced with the mana that swirled about them, and their faces held the same expression of pure concentration as the spell reached its pinnacle, and ended in a massive explosion of stars now colliding all at once with its target.

The Hell Knight gave one last scream, its mount and rider's voices combining into a fiendish screech that threatened to rend the eardrums of the fighters nearby. As the wisps of mana from the spell began to fade, the knight fell heavily onto its side and brought up a plume of dust from the ground that its claws an sword had shredded in its pain-wracked spasms. The mount was dead, no longer moving as its rider gasped for breath through a throat clogged with blood.

No one stirred from where they stood, watching with grim expressions as the knight tried and failed to twist itself around to fully face its soon-to-be killers. Crimson eyes glowing with hatred, the Hell Knight laughed coldly as it whispered in that same demonic snarl, "It seems... I was not enough... to end you. I am impressed... but it will not be enough... You will fall.. And I will be waiting for it in the depths of the Netherworld."

"Not likely." Lloyd's eyes narrowed and he stepped forward with the intent of finishing off the demon who seemed to be struggling painfully to reach his end. His act of mercy was to be unfinished as a dark shadow simply materialized where the knight lay, and without a sound the curtain drawn around the demon squeezed before vanishing, taking the knight and mount with it as if it had never once existed.

"That is enough from you, failure."

From everywhere, mimicking the knight's first words to them came another voice, but this one completely different. While the knight's rasp had come from a clear throat, the following words reverberated hollowly, like the speaker was inside of a deep cavern and could only communicate through echoes. "I thank you, humans... You have saved me from expending effort in wasting a foolish choice for a partner. Your power... it intrigues me. You will be venturing deeper into Niflheim, will you not...? I am eager to cross blades with you... if only to see how red your blood flows upon my sword."

"Another demon?" Lloyd glanced around furtively for a moment as his instincts flared a warning signal all throughout his body, but after a moment of this he knew it was useless. Like the demonic knight before it, the new enemy was speaking directly into their minds with the same dark power its comrade had used. His hands tightened to the point of pain on his swords, and he called out angrily in challenge, "Why don't you just speed up the process and come right to us, you coward?! Save us all some time!"

Laughter was the answer to Lloyd's furious challenge, and it rang out with that same strange resonant quality that the voice possessed. "No, no, no... That would not do. You are weary from your battle, and I would prefer to fight you at full strength. Besides... If you cannot even make it to me, what point would there be in fighting you at all? Surely you, a warrior, should see the wisdom in that?"

Sheena shook her head angrily at the insult, but even then she couldn't deny the tiredness that all of her comrades were feeling. Her own hands were still trembling from the effort it had taken to keep a handle of her battle cards, and as she flexed her fingers a brief spark of pain made her wince. The Hell Knight had proven to be an opponent of great power, and as she suspected from their next foe's taunts, it would be of even greater strength.

"I shall be waiting on the fifteenth floor... Take your time, or come quickly, but it will not matter... You will make it no further than that." More laughter followed the threat, and an eerie absence of noise proved that the connection had been severed, leaving them alone once more in the empty arena without proof of their defeated foe to show for their wounds.

Sheathing his blades tiredly, Lloyd fell heavily into a sitting position as he watched Presea pull her axe from the ground. The movement seemed to be harder for her than normal, and she didn't heft it with a single hand as she usually did. Instead she let the great blade drag on the ground as she pulled it towards her, and finally she rested both her hands on it and leaned against it as she let out a deep sigh of fatigue.

Her exhaustion looked almost petty when compared to the Sage siblings, however. Genis was standing on two shaking legs, but he refused to sit down to rest his obviously ill body. Instead he leaned against a wall, wiping a hand across his dry mouth as he looked out at something no one else could see in the distance in an attempt to quench his nausea. His pallor had grown terribly white, and he was shivering as if the air had simply dropped twenty degrees in heat.

Raine looked somewhat better, though she had opted to sit and was rubbing slowly at her temples while taking in deep breaths. Regal knelt carefully at her side, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders while she counted backwards from thirty under her breath, making sure she inhaled deep through her nose and exhaled through her mouth.

Sheena checked the bandages around her forearm almost absently, making sure that the deep gouges she had received fighting the last batch of skeletal knights hadn't reopened during the latest battle. As she fastened the knot holding her tourniquet once more, she spoke aloud everyone's thoughts with a grim, "So the next guy is even worse than the demon we just killed? We're really going to need to be more careful."

"A good rest will do us all good... but I advise we spend a little time training inside of the halls between floors... Just to make sure we're in top shape." Raine agreed with a heavy sigh, and despite Regal's quiet touch on her arms, the professor forced herself to stand. Her stomach felt absurdly heavy when she sat, and she was glad for the release in pressure once she stood up. Leaning on both her staff and her husband's arm, she glanced around the exhausted group and muttered, "We've grown out of practise. We need the training."

"Who ever would've thought I would've missed the monster packs." Lloyd grunted grumpily, and he tossed himself back against the dirt with a heavy sigh. He heard Sheena laughing quietly somewhere to his right, and he glanced over at her with a hint of his own smile curling at his lips. Somehow she managed to lessen the weight on his chest, and he was abruptly glad for her company. "Training would probably be a good idea... once we have our legs under us again."

He paused, then glanced over at Genis, who seemed to have recovered somewhat from the drain of mana. His friend still looked nauseous, and Lloyd blinked at he glanced over to Raine to make a quick comparison. Though he had guessed both siblings had expended the same amount of mana, Raine had appeared to recover much quicker than her younger brother. After a few minutes of deep breathing she could now stand on her own again, while Genis was still leaning heavily on the coliseum wall. Concerned, he pushed himself to his feet and asked cautiously, "Hey Genis, you alright?"

"Just a bit dizzy... That spell really robs us of our mana, you know." Genis answered with an errant wave of his hand, but the sharpness in his voice seemed to die away as he noticed his sister's recovery. Eyes widening a little in puzzlement, Genis called out to Raine without leaving his position on the wall, "Hey... That was quick, Raine. Are you feeling okay?"

Seeming just as puzzled as her brother, Raine glanced down at herself and tilted her head thoughtfully to the left. She scratched at her temple as if confused and mused quietly, "Yes, strangely enough... At first I thought I wouldn't be able to stand for at least half an hour, but the dizziness is gone... It also feels like my mana is recovering faster than normal... I wonder why that is."

"Your mother did gift you with most of her mana before we left Flanoir." Regal pointed out with a hint of a smile, and Raine immediately flushed pink as if she had forgotten the gifts that had bestowed her with stronger powers than she had ever thought she could have. Chuckling a little, he touched his wife's shoulder and nodded as he suggested, "It may be why you are recovering so much more quickly. You still must have traces of her borrowed power within your system."

"Can you lend me some? I'm exhausted." Genis laughed with a shake of his head, and his sister only blushed a deeper shade of red which only added to his amusement. Trying not to laugh even harder, Genis glanced around the group and was pleased to see they were all enjoying the moment of levity. Even Presea, who barely had spoken since the announcement of their journey into Niflheim was smiling.

The sight bolstered his resolve, and as Raine turned to Regal to discuss the effects her mother's mana must have been having on her, Genis picked his way carefully to the hunter's side. She had seated herself against the wall and was carefully cleaning off the blood and dust that had begun to congeal on her axe's great blade. Seating himself down more heavily than he wanted next to her, Genis asked somewhat hesitantly, "Hey... U-Um... Are you feeling okay...?"

Looking up in surprise at his nearness, Presea felt her hand slip from the cloth she had been using to clean her blade. She hissed reflexively as her palm slid along the sharp edge of her weapon, and jerked her hand back as she felt the blade cut cleanly through her flesh. "Ah!"

"Aw, damn, I'm sorry!" Genis reacted faster than she in her surprise and hurt, and before she could protest he had her hand in his and was examining the wound closely as the blood started to flow. Instinctively she tried to pull away from him, but to her bafflement, she couldn't fight against his grip on her wrist. She sat in stunned silence as he pulled a clean set of bandages and a gel from his bag and began treating her hand, all the while apologizing profusely. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have interrupted you. I've done the same thing to Lloyd once... I should know better..."

"N-No, I didn't hear you coming near..." Presea tried to argue, but her voice barely rose above a whisper as Genis' careful fingers rubbed the gel into the open wound to destroy any bacteria and speed up the healing process. She winced instinctively away from the stinging sensation, but as she had found before, Genis had a surprisingly strong grip on her and didn't let her escape. She could only really sit where she was, allowing him to continue with the treatment before he began bandaging her palm like a seasoned healer.

"I'll pad it a little bit so you can hold onto your axe without it hurting too much till the wound closes." Genis said with a weary sigh as he wrapped the bandage twice more than necessary around her palm to provide the proper padding for her hand. He closed her fingers experimentally before smiling in satisfaction, and then smiled up into the surprised axeman's face, "Sometimes it pays to have a healer for a sister. I've learned how to wrap wounds pretty well from her, huh?"

With her hand freed, Presea self-consciously pulled it against her chest. That same foreign heat she was beginning to recognize as a blush was growing in her cheeks, and she looked down at her lap in order to avoid meeting that smile of his as she agreed awkwardly, "Yes, you have... Thank you..."

Feeling his face reddening, Genis had to look away from her in order to have his mind be clear and remind himself why he had sat down so close to her in the first place. Coughing a bit to make sure his voice wouldn't rise an octave due to his embarrassment, Genis repeated his question sheepishly, "So, er... Are you... okay?"

Presea wasn't entirely sure how to answer such a question, and as the robotic reply began to surface in her throat, she abruptly moved to squelch it. She knew she wasn't hiding her unease about being in Niflheim as well as she would have liked, and her friends all had noticed it even if they were doing whatever they could to ease her and not single her out for it. She closed her eyes, trying to sort out her feelings to give him an honest answer, and not a lie like she would have long ago in order to cast away the worried stares and feelings that only made her uncomfortable.

There was fear bubbling in the forefront of her heart, choking her and making every breath she took a battle. She hated this place, more than she hated Sybak for all of the time that city had taken from her. No matter where she looked she saw darkness, the same shadowy veils that Nebilim had cast over her senses when he had supplanted her consciousness with his own in her body. With that darkness came cold, came loneliness and sadness that had choked her for so long she still had difficulty believing sometimes that she was surrounded by so much caring warmth.

Yet that warmth was breaking through her fear like the first rays of the sun through cloudy mornings. She could always feel her friends nearby, whether or not they were simply watching her back on the battlefield or wrapping her hand when she was injured. Every heat they brought to her was different, whether it was Raine's maternal smile and healing hand, or Lloyd's easy and cheerful confidence that was just too infectious to ignore, and she was quickly learning how to differentiate between those strange but familiar feelings they brought her.

As she glanced over at Genis, who was still staring at anything but her, she put a hand to her chest as the strongest and yet most suffocating warmth plumed in her chest. Looking at him sometimes made her body so warm she was afraid she was suffering a fever, but it was always when she was coldest that he would be there to banish away the ice of her rationale and loneliness. She feared and enjoyed what he brought her, and because she couldn't understand it she wanted to experience it more.

Sitting with her back to the wall and their shoulders close enough to touch, Presea closed her eyes and drank in his presence. The calm he brought her was a welcome balm, and it banished away the cold and oppressive atmosphere Niflheim was continuously attempting to bury her in. She could still feel that same treasonous shadow waiting for her to slip and stumble, and she doubted it would ever go away... but she was with someone who had never failed to keep it at bay. A tiny smile curled at her lips, and instinctively she shuffled closer to that person as she answered with an honest happiness mixed with a tinge of bemusement, "Yes, Genis... I think... that I am okay."

**AN:**

**So, has anybody else figured out what I really wanted to use this specific arc to focus on? No? Oh well, I'm not about to tell you, so... XD -shot- Sorry. I can't help it... I love my fluff. And Gesea fluff is goddamn addicting. There's just so many ways you can spin it... I have so much fun with this pairing...**

**Ahem, so yeah... Tension, battle, and fluff. Excellent balance this chapter has, and that surprisingly actually really reflects my life at this very moment. I loathe the holidays... Anyway, review if you can, and I'll see you next chapter! **

**PS: Also, because I'm mean and wanna leave you with a teaser for what will be coming up next chapter... What Nebilim threw at Tasogare for her own personalized torture will be showed! How it relates to her, though... Well, maybe you guys can figure it out! -shot a second time- Oh, and prepare for bouncing themes. XD Fluff, dark, dark is the next mix!**

**Mood: Exasperated.**

**Listening To: "So Fragile" - Pamsy**

**~ Sky**


	33. Of The Unknown

**Outer Rim of the Underworld**

**Passage to Niflheim**

Zelos sighed as he brushed aside the wisps of blond hair that obscured the wounds he was trying to check, and Colette remained completely still as if sensing his irritation. With one hand holding her bangs up, Zelos eyed the five small wounds surrounding her ear with a critical eye. They had thankfully scabbed over completely, though his jaw flexed with a barely repressed scowl at the sight of them. What Nebilim had done to her almost scared him more than it had her, and he'd felt completely and utterly useless when he'd been unable to snap her out of the nightmare. Only last-ditch efforts and luck had kept her from irreparably harming herself, and it was something he couldn't forgive.

Colette winced as his finger accidentally came into contact with the still-healing wound, and she felt Zelos drop his hand almost like he'd touched live fire. Instinctively she reached to catch his wrist before he could pull away entirely, and feeling a warmth flame up in her cheeks, she mumbled awkwardly when she saw him staring at her, "N-No, it's okay... It just hurt a little..."

Shaking his head indulgently, Zelos released her bangs and absently sorted them out while being careful not to touch her wounds in the process. She held his hand against her face when he finished, but was staring awkwardly at the ground. Trying not to smile, Zelos leaned back against the rock wall and spoke quietly in the darkness, "They're healing well enough now. The gels definitely helped. Are you sure you don't want me to give you a shot of First-Aid to speed it along?"

"You need to conserve your mana, and they're not hurting anymore. It'd be a waste." Colette objected with a vehement shake of her head and a bit of a frown. Her words were met with a disbelieving smile, something that both exasperated and amused her. He simply saw through any and every sort of lie she tried to use to make him stop worrying, and she was beginning to wonder why she bothered to try anymore.

Still... She hated seeing him worry. The frown he wore when he grew concerned simply didn't belong on his face. She much more preferred him smiling, but she wasn't about to say that. The thought alone however brought a fresh round of blood racing to colour her cheeks, and she tried again lamely, "I'm really alright..."

"Do you know that you make people worry _more_ when you lie than if you told the truth?"

Ducking her head guiltily, Colette tried her best not to show how much that simple statement hurt. He was right, which only made it worse, even if he hadn't been trying to be malicious. She stared down at her feet with shame, and she murmured quietly, her voice so subdued that even in the empty tunnel she left no echoes, "I hate making people worry... Not when they should be focussing more on themselves instead. It's not right."

Laughing once, Zelos reached out and before she could protect, drew her into his lap. She gave one short squeak of alarm before he kissed her gently on the mouth to muffle the noise. He wrapped his arms around her stomach to hold her close, and his voice was low and surprisingly intimate when he scolded her, "Your are one compassionate young lady, but you might be forgetting how compassionate _other_ people are, angel."

Blushing furiously at both his hold and his tender scolding, Colette wriggled a bit to try and escape. Zelos didn't let her go, but his smile grew at her halfhearted attempts. She couldn't see him, but she just knew he was enjoying her struggling, especially because he knew she wouldn't try too hard to get away. Finally she simply surrendered, leaning back against his chest and placing her hands on the forearms crossed over her stomach.

Relishing his victory, Zelos rested his chin on her shoulder and gave her body a tender squeeze. A dark surge of pleasure went through him as he held her in silence, as he hadn't dared to really put much of a hand on the blond angel when Tasogare had been so close by. However, after they had settled in the tunnel, the brunette had simply kept walking and vanished behind the sloping corner some feet away. He knew she wasn't about to try and flee, as either way she went it would still be a dead end, and so he'd let her leave without complaint.

She wanted her privacy after the strange encounter with Nebilim's sadistic greeting, and he wanted his own, so the arrangement worked for both of them. Though, he admitted inwardly that he still wasn't entirely sure what to make of whatever torture Nebilim had arranged for Tasogare. Her reaction, while not as violent as Colette's had been, still proved that underneath her stone mask she was carrying a painful burden. Or at least, a burden dark enough that even she couldn't hide her feelings if she was faced with it without warning.

As if she had sensed his thoughts, Colette's fingers curled a little tighter around his bare forearms, and she began hesitantly, "Zelos...?"

Knowing what she was going to say, but also powerless to reject her flat out, Zelos simply responded with a sigh, "Yeah?"

"Um... D-Does... does my worrying about Tasogare... make you angry?"

Zelos blinked, taken aback by the demureness of her words and posture. Of everything he'd expected her to say, that certainly wasn't it. He flushed somewhat guiltily for thinking he'd actually known her well enough to predict her thoughts when she clearly wasn't as easy to read as he'd thought. It took him a few moments to regain his composure before he could answer her without laughing at his own idiocy.

Colette remained silent in his arms, waiting for an answer, and it came in the form of a surprisingly firm hug. He laughed once, a quiet and sort of defeated sound before he spoke her tiredly, "Angry isn't the word I'd use, angel. It exasperates me, but it doesn't make me angry. How could it? It's your nature to be nice... and how could I be angry at you for doing what comes naturally to you?"

"E-Even though..."

"I don't like her. I also don't trust her. And finally, I can't find myself willing to care about what her motivations are, or what her past life was like. I know she ordered men to hurt my sister, and I also know she ordered George to be killed. Then she killed Neil, using Lloyd as a puppet. Beyond that, she's probably killed hundreds of people without batting an eyelash. She's not worth caring about, at least not to me." Zelos sighed as if speaking the bitter words had cost him energy, and then he raised a hand from Colette's waist to tug on her ponytail gently. Her stiffened posture relaxed somewhat, and he continued in a more subdued tone, "You're different than me, though... You do care. You see past actions and deeds and look into what's underneath. And I want you to remember that just because you do something differently than I would... it doesn't make you stupid, and it doesn't mean I'm angry about it."

Colette was surprised by how relieved she felt with his words, and impulsively she snuggled as deep in his embrace as she could possibly manage. He tightened his hold on her obediently and ducked his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder as she whispered, "I'm glad. I was worried... that I was maybe..."

"There's nothing you could do that would ever make me angry at you." Zelos laughed and reassured her with a prompt kiss to the cheek. She giggled in surprise, raising her hand to touch the spot where he'd kissed her as a blush stung at her face once more. He continued with a hint of mischief, "Though, I guess you could just dump me... I might be a bit upset over that."

"D-Don't say that! I wouldn't–!"

"Kidding. You're too cute to tease, you know that? Plus, when you blush like that, it's almost impossible to leave you alone." Zelos teased, and he watched with smug pride as her cheeks glowed crimson in the darkness. He really did like making her blush, though he admitted that he was a bit mean for teasing her as often as he did. It was easier, he mused, since she didn't have a habit of hitting him if he went too far. Sheena wasn't nearly as lenient.

Slumping somewhat in defeat and embarrassment, Colette ducked her head and mumbled into her collar petulantly,"You're mean..."

"I wasn't the one who socked you in the jaw." Zelos pointed out with a faked air of haughtiness, and he raised his hand to brush the back of it against the cut that was still healing on his lower lip. It was the first time she'd injured him, and though it'd been an accident, he had to tease her for her immediate reaction to being groped. She was still surprisingly innocent for all the world she'd seen, and though he wouldn't say it aloud when he still cursed it sometimes, it was surprisingly endearing.

Instead of responding with more embarrassment, Colette scooted to the side so she could get a clear look at his face as her blue eyes lit up with concern. She raised a hand instinctively to touch his wound before she dropped it out of shyness, and then she asked softly as she tried not to look too hard at his mouth, "Is your lip okay? I'm _really_ sorry about hitting you..."

Knowing he should probably stop, but rather unable to when she looked like she did, Zelos couldn't help but tease some more, "It hurts a little bit. Why don't you kiss it better?"

Surprised silence met the half-serious jibe, and to his disbelief Colette bit down on her own lip as if she was considering it. As her eyes flickered up to look at his mouth again from under his eyelashes, Zelos realized abruptly he'd taken his game too far. He opened his mouth to tell her she didn't need to worry but she beat him to the punch by whispering softly, "Okay..."

She raised herself up a little, one hand moving shyly to touch the side of his neck, and before he could call her off she lightly pressed her lips to the wound. Zelos froze against the wall, unable to move as he felt her slide subtly in his lap to better curl her arm around his shoulders and press herself against his chest. For all her naivete her instincts well made up for her lack of knowledge, and he almost groaned as she parted her lips and gently sucked his lower lip between them.

He raised his hands instinctively to settle on her shoulders, first with the intent on pulling her away, but when her tongue flicked out and caressed the cut and he lost the battle and let his hands go limp. The last time they'd kissed he had initiated the passion, but now she was trying her hand, and Zelos had to admit he rather liked her bravery.

Colette closed her eyes as she felt his left hand dropping from her shoulder and tracing the curve of her spine before settling on her lower back. He was tracing that spot he'd found before in the sea outside of Iselia that had simply turned her body to water, and a little thrill went through her as his fingers applied just a little pressure. Sometimes she thought he knew her body better than she did, and he proved it as he raised his right hand to stroke the back of her neck under her ponytail. She couldn't stifle her gasp of surprise at the unfamiliar touch. Zelos increased the pressure ever so subtly, sensing a weakness, and a muffled moan escaped her lips as his touch set fire to her blood."Ahn...!"

The sound went straight to Zelos' groin, and a little warning bell began going off as he felt Colette slumping against his chest in that familiar position of lost resistance. She wouldn't stop him if he tried going any further, and he was dangerously close to losing his iron-tight control of his lust. His mind wasn't helping, teasing him with every single dream he'd been torturing himself with during the nights, and his body had already admitted defeat as he embraced her wholeheartedly.

She was so pliant in his arms, lost in sensation and eager to drown further in it. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his tongue wrapped around hers, and she sighed with dreamy pleasure when his hand tightened abruptly on the curve of her spine. He felt her other hand ghosting down the side of his arm, moving of its own free will as every ounce of whatever resistance she may have had simply melted away for good.

The warning bell now became a siren as he felt his control breaking. He was seconds away from throwing her onto the stone floor and having his way with her, and he knew from experience she wouldn't resist him. Propriety and respect helped him solidify his reasoning as she broke free of his lips to catch a breath of air, and it took more effort than he wanted to admit to stop her from resuming what she'd broken. His breathing was hitched as he whispered warningly against her swollen lips when she drunkenly leaned forward to continue, "You really should stop, angel... or else I won't be able to. Once was hard enough."

Flushing to her ears but still rather dizzy, Colette ducked her head and bit down hard on her lips to try and distract herself from the knot forming in her stomach. She was somewhat taken aback by the new tone to his voice she'd never heard before. It was deeper and gruffer than she was used to, and like his hand on her neck, it sent that same electric tingle over her skin. Closing her eyes as she took in several deep breaths to soothe her erratic heartbeat, she whispered softly, "I'm sorry..."

Zelos almost groaned at the picture she was making of herself, and had to fight to keep his hands at his side. She looked impossibly attractive, curled up in his lap and pressing her shoulder into his chest as she turned away to hide her blushing face behind her hair. Knowing he had to take initiative since they were alone, Zelos continued in that same hoarse mutter, "I, uh... need you to move off of me, angel. Not that I don't like it, but..."

The electric tingling turned into a full blown shock, and Colette nearly left a vapour trail in her haste to get off of him. Her face now matched Zelos' hair colour, and she couldn't look at him as she edged as far away as she possibly could without actually leaving his side. He drew her in like a magnet, and she didn't want him to think she was scared of him even though she was a bit alarmed by what she'd caused. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean–! Darn it, I don't–!"

Though he was both intensely aroused and somewhat in pain from trying to stifle it, Zelos couldn't help but laugh. He shifted his posture so that she couldn't see what affect she had on his body, and shook his head as he reached out to lovingly ruffle her hair. His voice was light as he reassured her, "It's okay, don't be so anxious. I just didn't want to scare you, or do anything you weren't ready for." His tone became more serious as he dropped his hand from her and repeated quietly, "I really... really don't want that."

Looking up at him with a hint of a frown, Colette felt the understanding go through her as strong as her newly awoken feelings of attraction had. He clearly knew what he was doing, and out of respect for her, he wasn't going to push her in any way, shape or form. She glanced down at her folded hands, trying to find suitable words to answer his gesture before finally laughing softly to herself, "I don't really know what I'm doing half of the time... so I guess I'm not ready for much of anything. I'm just glad I have a good teacher."

Zelos blinked twice in surprise, and then had no choice but to join in her awkward laughter. He had never considered his experience to qualify him as a suitable teacher, and the thought alone had him both blushing and smirking at once. 'Yeah... She's definitely never going to lose that innocence of hers...' Shaking his head indulgently, Zelos reached forward to ruffle her hair as he tried to stop laughing, "If you say so, Colette. If you say so."

Smiling a little under his gentle caress, Colette closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Despite the cold of the tunnel the sat in, she felt remarkably warm when she was so close to him. The thought, which should have made her happy, brought a frown to her face. Her eyes instinctively moved to the curve of the tunnel where she knew Tasogare was, and she wondered for what had to be the hundredth time how the brunette angel was faring.

While she knew Tasogare was unlikely to ever let on if she was in pain, Colette had seen the drop in her guard just before her own torture at Nebilim's hands had blocked out everything else. Whatever the Summon Spirit had showed her had rocked the golden-eyed angel to the core, proving that underneath her cold facade there was indeed a heart that could still be attacked.

Her eyes had been wide in undisguised panic, and though she hadn't spoken, Colette knew what it was like to want to scream and be unable to find her voice. She knew, without really knowing, that Tasogare hadn't just left to keep up her facade of indifference and ice. Something had broken, and she was retreating to fix it before anyone could see her weakness.

'I had the chance to recover because I wasn't alone... but no one's there for her...' Instinctively Colette raised a hand to her mouth and nipped at her thumb as the thought sent a wash of compassion through her chest. It didn't matter how many times her hand had been spurned, because she sensed pain and had an unflinching desire to help. 'Even if it's only once... Even if she only lets me help her a tiny bit... I want to try. She can't... be as evil as she wants everyone to think she is. I won't believe that. I can see it in her eyes... no matter how cold she tries to make them... there's pain in there. I just wish I could understand it more... then maybe she'd let me help...'

A gentle tug on her ponytail snapped her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see Zelos smiling wryly at her on her right. Blushing slightly at his knowing gaze, she hung her head and mumbled, "It's not fair how you can read me like that..."

"It's not exactly difficult." Zelos replied with a shake of his head, and before either could think better of it, he took a gentle hold of her chin and drew her face closer to his for a kiss. He pulled away quickly, not wanting to let either of them get drawn into something too manic again before he said quietly, "I'll come with you half of the way. I just don't want to be too far away when you're alone with her. Deal?"

Knowing she was lucky that Zelos wouldn't shadow her the entire way, and pleased that he trusted her intuition to even let her go in the first place, Colette leaned forward and kissed him again. Her smile was radiant when she pulled away and slid effortlessly to her feet, "Deal."

* * *

**Inner Niflheim**

**Strata Two**

**Floor Fourteen**

"Is it just me, or are there a lot more soldiers on this floor than on all the other ones?" Lloyd ground out between tightly gritted teeth as he ducked around the sword of the nearest skeleton who had not been felled by his last stroke. Flamberge crackled angrily in response to his movements, and a low snarl escaped the sword as it burst into flames upon connecting with the skeleton soldier's spine.

The soldier collapsed in a pile of burning bones, and Lloyd savagely kicked the blade it had been holding away in case his fiery attack hadn't been enough. He turned easily on his heel as he heard the familiar hiss of a weapon singing through the air, and raised the Vorpal Sword just in time to parry a stroke from a lance-carrying soldier.

Backing away with a low grunt, Lloyd went on the defensive as the monster jabbed at him experimentally. He could hear the sounds of battle all around him but he tried to drown it out, knowing if he didn't focus he would end up with a spear-head embedded in him. He parried expertly as the soldier made a rush for him, and before it could recover he slammed forward hard with Flamberge in the centre of its grinning skull.

Instantly the skeleton came alight, and grimacing with disgust, Lloyd drew back as it collapsed in on itself to join its unfortunate comrade. He'd begun to lose count of how many soldiers he had destroyed in a similar fashion, though he muse dit was probably somewhere at least in the hundreds. The skeletons didn't seem to stop coming from the shadows ahead, and he was only grateful that they didn't materialize from behind them too.

As he turned to come to the aid of one of his companions he heard a pained gasp from his left, and instantly he whirled about to see Sheena stagger backwards, clutching her left forearm tightly to staunch the blood from her newly opened wound. The soldier responsible for catching her off guard moved forward as she tried to sway out of reach of its sword, but Lloyd was quicker on his feet and slashed with deadly purpose to cut its spine in two with the icy Vorpal Sword. The skeleton collapsed instantly in two, but it still tried to reach the swordsman with its long bony hands, slashing mindlessly in an attempt to do damage.

"Go to hell, you blasted pile of bones!" Lloyd growled out angrily as he stabbed Flamberge down between the skull's empty eye-sockets. The fallen soldier instantly ignited into a smoldering heap, and not bothering to look down to ensure it was well and truly defeated, Lloyd moved to Sheena's side and reached for her hand as the battle died around him, "Are you okay?"

Blinking in surprise at his sudden appearance, Sheena tried to shake off the pain that had her entire arm throbbing. The skeleton's sword had successfully reopened the freshly healed wound in her forearm, and already blood was soaking her sleeve right through. Grimacing, Sheena tightened her grip on her elbow as she answered, "Y-Yeah... Just got distracted..."

"Here, let me see. Raine's out of mana, and Regal's busy with Presea." Lloyd instructed firmly, and to his surprise Sheena obediently held out her arm for his study. He grimaced at the sight of the deep wound the sword had cut into her arm, but he was glad to see that only the scar tissue she had mentioned had been reopened. Grabbing a fresh roll of bandages, Lloyd tied on a new tourniquet to stem the flow of her blood, apologizing under his breath as she hissed in pain, "Sorry..."

He made to loosen the tourniquet to ease her pain, but she rested her free hand delicately on his when he moved to untie it. Her voice was quiet as she stopped him, "No, it's alright... Thank you..."

Lloyd forced a smile even though his heart was still pounding furiously in his ears from the battle. Seeing her wounded had sparked something in his chest, and he'd lashed out without thinking to protect her. The feeling of bloodlust still tinged his vision red, but he fought it down as he heard the others assessing the damage from the fight. He sighed raggedly as he watched her wring out her bloody sleeve, and he muttered gruffly, "You're welcome..."

Sheena was silent for a moment as she watched him watching her, and before he could react, she wrapped her good arm around his neck and stood on tiptoe to kiss him with an unexpected passion. He stood completely still in shock at her embrace, but before he had the chance to think of replying, she had drawn away and was absently fiddling with her bandage as if nothing had happened.

Taking a quick look around, Lloyd became acutely aware that Raine had seen everything, and was wearing a strangely smug smile as she turned her face away when their eyes met. She instead looked to Genis who was sitting down at her knee, his eyes focussed on Presea who was lying painfully still on the ground as Regal healed a shallow stab wound to her stomach. She ruffled his hair absently, but he made no notice of her. Rather, he reached out to touch Presea's shoulder in a reassuring gesture when the axeman closed her eyes and hissed reflexively as the healing magic began knitting her flesh together.

Lloyd sighed tiredly as he turned to look at Sheena, but she had gone red in the face and wasn't looking at him. He wondered if she had seen that Raine had noticed her kiss, or maybe if she just felt extremely awkward over her sudden decision to embrace him like that. He rather enjoyed seeing her blush like she was though, and he felt a hint of smug pride that it was because of him she was so embarrassed. 'Still... That was nice... I wonder why she kissed me...'

Knowing that if he didn't shake off his bafflement about her kiss he wouldn't ever be able to concentrate, Lloyd flexed his stiff arms to ease the pain his constant battling was bringing. His muscles relaxed at his command, and he sighed again with a bit of relief as he mused inwardly, 'We got off easier this round than the last. Raine was right to keep us on the floor and keep training instead of using the teleporter. I feel a lot more sharper than I did when we came in... Everybody else is feeling the same, injuries aside. We've taken less of them too this time... I think we're ready... When we finish healing and recovering... We should head to the teleporter...'

A little chuckle brought him out of his musing, and he turned to his left to see Regal kneeling beside Sheena, who was shaking her head with a slightly amused smile. Blinking curiously, Lloyd caught the tail end of the ninja's conversation with him, "... fine as it is. Thanks for the offer."

"If you are sure. The tourniquet is tied well enough to do you for the next little while." Regal acquiesced with a graceful nod, and he smiled in that same satisfied way Lloyd had noticed on Raine just a few moments ago. He stood up and made to return to his wife's side, only to be stopped when Sheena spoke sharply from her seated position.

"Hey, Regal, how's Raine holding up?"

Regal blinked, surprised to hear the question, but he noticed with a frown that Sheena seemed more surprised with herself for asking. He answered her honestly however, feeling no need to question Sheena's concern, "She is well. Virginia's mana still seems to be flowing strong within her."

"That's good." Sheena spoke just as honestly as Regal did, but her frown didn't match her words. She glanced away from his face instead to her hands, unsure of why she had been so concerned over the seemingly well professor. "Glad to hear it."

"Most of the wounds in the party are healed, and we are just catching our breath now." Regal turned to Lloyd and addressed the unspoken thoughts he'd seen in their leader's eyes. Raine had been musing the same thing Lloyd had earlier, prompting Regal to question, "Perhaps in another fifteen minutes we shall be ready to move ahead?"

"Yeah, fifteen minutes sounds like a good idea." Lloyd agreed with a little nod, and he slumped down into a sitting position beside Sheena to use the most of the break. Regal wandered away to pass along the message to the others, leaving him with a chance to take a deep breath and finally relax. He chuckled half-seriously to Sheena as he leaned back against the cold steel railing that separated the glassy floor from the abyss of shadows around them, "If I fall asleep, don't wake me until you're at the teleporter."

"I was just about to tell you the same thing." Sheena laughed as she closed her eyes and relaxed completely against the railing. For all appearances she looked to be asleep, then she raised her left hand to absently roll the golden bell hanging at her throat between her fingers. A beat of silence passed, and then she spoke again, more serious than before, "Have you noticed how often we're tiring out, now? Though we're pretty much back at our peak for fighting strength... our energy isn't lasting as long as it should. Our mana recovers normally, yeah... but not our vitality."

Lloyd frowned, turning to notice that Sheena was scowling at nothing in particular, and gazing out in the direction of the teleporter. Alert once more despite his body's exhaustion, Lloyd asked her just as seriously, "Do you think it's Nebilim's influence?"

"He is the Summon Spirit of Death, and without Origin's protection, it could be possible." Sheena answered with a vague shrug, but her frown never faded, proving that despite her uncertainty in her words she had a measure of surety. "I don't like being down here, and that's not just my dislike for closed-in spaces talking. The entire place feels evil... and I have a weird feeling that even if we had unlimited supplies and were all in perfect health... that we wouldn't last more than a few weeks."

Frowning deeper than before, Lloyd wasn't at all surprised that he agreed with her. Niflheim's atmosphere was more than just oppressive. The entire dungeon seemed to ooze evil and death, and at a much more alarming level with the deeper they travelled. He could only hope that the caverns where they had left the angelic members of their team weren't exuding the same effects. "Scary as it is, I agree... I don't think he just hate angelic beings... I think he hates anything that's alive."

Sheena didn't answer, which drew Lloyd's gaze back to her. She had drawn her knees up to her chest and had slumped in on herself in a posture he instinctively disliked. Her eyes were dark with thought and emotion, prompting him to reach out to touch her arm and ask quietly, "Are you having second thoughts about making the pact?"

"After everything he's put Presea through, I really don't want to ask him for anything." Sheena replied truthfully, though her voice was biting. She glanced almost sadly towards the tiny axeman who was sharpening her Gaia Cleaver under Genis' curious eyes, and then Sheena simply sighed and continued tiredly, "But I can't think about those things. Nebilim is the only way we'll finish this once and for all... so I have to make a pact with him."

Resting her chin on her knees, Sheena closed her eyes and then sighed deeply, losing herself in silence for a long few moments. Before Lloyd could say anything in response to her former words, she continued on, "One thing I am glad to know is that Nebilim refuses, even under the bond of the pact, to bring the dead back to life. Even though that's why he's here, and that's why Presea was hurt... I don't want to ever be tempted with the thought of that kind of power. Colette was right when she said life only flows one way... Nothing should mess with that."

Lloyd was silent for a moment, surprised by the fervour in her voice and how deeply she had thought about Nebilim's power. He had to smile though as he admonished himself with the thought that it was her duty to think like that, considering she was soon to wield Nebilim's power as her own through the pact. She never took any of the pacts she made with the Summon Spirits lightly, and had healthy respect for all of them. It was showed in turn with how powerful her pacts made her, as if the Summon Spirits worked harder for their summoner because they knew she would hold true to her vows.

Smiling a little more, Lloyd squeezed the hand he had left on her arm in a comforting gesture and said quietly, "It'll be alright. We all know what we're doing, and we're together. We can handle anything."

Sheena laughed quietly, but he was pleased to see that her frown was gone and that she had begun to smile. Nodding her head, she touched his hand with her forehead and agreed softly, "Yeah. We're together... that's what counts. We'll manage."

Reaching up, Lloyd let his hand ruffle her hair before he ambled to his feet. He held his hand down to her in offering, and she took it without hesitation. Pulling her easily up, Lloyd turned to see everyone else had followed his example and were now all looking towards the end of the hall where the glowing circular pad awaited to take them to the next floor.

The owner of the hallow demonic voice likewise was awaiting them just beyond that, but no one seemed to be anxious about the soon to come confrontation. Rather, his comrades all appeared ready and confident to meet their latest opponent and finish it before they continued on to their real target.

Lloyd's jaw tightened at the thought of the shadowy lord whole ruled over Niflheim, but he felt no fear. Instead he felt only a cold certainty that they would best the Summon Spirit like all of the others they had fought to submission, and with Nebilim's defeat, they would only be one step closer to finally ridding the world of the evil Mithos Yggdrasil had become.

He glanced over his shoulder, at the comrades flanking him in preparation for his order to move out. He saw the conviction in Sheena's tawny eyes, and the curve of her confident smile that his words had brought back to her. In Genis' eyes there was a hardness tempered with gentle protection as he watched Presea, who had seemed to relax a little with the mage's constant presence at her side. Then Regal and Raine stood shoulder to shoulder, their expressions mirror-images of confidence and that loving watchfulness of the parents they had promoted themselves to over their younger companions.

And though Colette and Zelos weren't there, Lloyd knew they'd be just as confident and just as supportive as the rest of his friends, and the thought bolstered his resolve. They were rested, ready, and almost eager to move forward and deeper. With a hint of a smile curving his lips in anticipation, Lloyd said firmly to his gathered comrades, "Let's get moving."

* * *

**Outer Rim of the Underworld**

**Passage to Niflheim**

_It was a tiny hand, with fingers that would only be capable of halfway wrapping around one of her own if she had extended her hand to it. The arm it belonged to was horribly pale, disconnected from its body from the shoulder, leaving it to appear horribly shrivelled in appearance. Slowly, spasmodically, the fingers twitched at the ground and pulled itself closer to her foot, all the while leaving a trail of blood behind it._

_Tasogare backed away instinctively from it, but her body would not retreat any further. She couldn't even turn around or close her eyes to try and block out what she was seeing. Instead the arm continued to clutch at nothingness, dragging itself closer and closer as blood poured from its severed stump, like a heart was still pumping the liquid through the veins that didn't exist._

_It was almost at the toe of her boot, now. She shivered with revulsion and horror as the fingers clasped with feeble strength at the leather boot in an attempt to climb it. Bile rose to her mouth, burning her throat as her eyes focussed on those tiny bloody fingers clinging to her laces._

_Then the arm wasn't the only thing holding onto her clothing. Sitting astride her ankle was the body that the dismembered arm belonged to, and its eyes stared up at her with a baby's innocent laughter. The infant was naked, smeared with crimson gore that coloured its pale milky skin and the tufts of dark olive-coloured hair on top of its otherwise smooth scalp. Even its lips had traces of the blood pouring continuously from its severed shoulder, dampening her pantleg and boot as it tilted its head back and gave a wordless giggle._

_She felt her legs give out, and she collapsed backwards with a choked gasp. The baby didn't seem to be jostled at all by her sudden collapse, clinging to her pantleg with its one arm with surprising strength. It continued to smile as its other limb managed to now tug itself onto her boot, still twitching and grabbing convulsively at whatever lay within its grasp to help it up._

_The baby met her eyes, and horrified golden stared back into the suddenly evil honey only two shades lighter than her own. The infant's mouth stretched open in a grotesque smile, and though it was too young to know how to form a coherent thought, to even understand the spoken word, it whispered to her in a shrill accusation, "You let me die, you know. You just... let me die."_

"Fuck!"

A light touch on her shoulder jolted Tasogare from her trance, and without even thinking she plunged her hand into her jacket and slashed out in attack. She felt only a slight resistence to her blade and knew she'd only nicked cloth as she came fully awake. Standing two feet back from her were Colette and Zelos, though Tasogare had the worst feeling that the blond angel had been the fool to try and snap her back to reality.

Shooting an acidic glare at her, Zelos stood slightly in front of Colette with his sword unsheathed and fully extended. His eyes were narrowed with hatred and the barely suppressed urge to attack, and he growled as she remained seated on the ground, "You're lucky you only nicked her sleeve, or I would've put my sword through you."

"Zelos." Colette chided him quietly, but there was a catch in her voice, a hint of fear as she poked her finger through the sizeable hole Tasogare had cut in her sleeve. She was abruptly glad that her instincts were so finely honed due to her angelic abilities, because she doubted if she was a normal human that she would have escaped Tasogare's attack without injury. As it was she had no wounds, and wasn't about to grow upset because Tasogare had lashed out upon waking.

Gently pushing aside his restraining hand, Colette came forward by only one step before saying quietly, "You weren't responding when we tried to speak to you... and I was worried maybe Nebilim had cast another spell. I'm sorry for surprising you, but I didn't know how else to wake you up. Are you alright?"

Narrowing her eyes at the kindness, Tasogare pushed herself to her feet despite the nausea that the lasting image in her head had spread to her stomach. She almost staggered when she tried to take a good step backwards, and Colette reached out impulsively to steady her. The knowledge that she had shown her weakness by cursing and lashing out when she had been woken, now coupled with Colette's sympathetic overture, succeeded in snapping Tasogare's fragile hold on her fraying temper.

Before she could think twice about what she was doing, she wrenched herself as far as she possibly could from Colette's reach and yelled into the silence of the cavern, "I won't warn you again to leave me be, Brunel! I've no need of your pity, and the same can be said with any idiotic fantasies you have of befriending me!"

Eyes wide in shock, Colette had no reply as the echoes of Tasogare's outburst roared around the three stone-still angels in the tunnel. All she could do was stand in place, trying to comprehend the fact that the near-robotic brunette angel had finally lost her temper and broken the iron-clad hold she had on the mask she claimed was her face. 'She...'

For a brief moment, Tasogare's shield was gone and left her face completely bare to the two standing before her. Hatred hardened her golden eyes until they shone like ice, and pure fury radiated from every molecule of her body. There was pain in the deepest shadows of her gaze, but even that was overshadowed with the intensity of her hate and anger, but whether it was directed at them, or at herself, neither could say.

Then the wall fell back down as realization of her slip hit her like a ton of bricks, and she turned on her heel and away from their shocked stares. "Fuck." The muttered curse she had woken with on her lips was all she left behind as she stormed off and away from them in rage, leaving her footsteps to echo dimly around them as she rounded the corner and vanished from sight.

Zelos wasn't sure of what to make of the spectacle as the echoes faded, but he had no time to put his thoughts into words as he felt Colette moving at his side to give chase. Reacting on instinct, he grabbed her arm to stop her with a terse, "Oi! Don't be stupid, after that she'll really jump at you if you chase her now!"

Colette turned on him so fast he actually released her and backed away from the intensity of the emotion on her face. Her blue eyes were full of tears as she rounded on him with a sharp exclamation, "She's in _pain_, Zelos! Didn't you see that?! Whatever Nebilim showed her, it's hurting her really bad! I can't leave her alone in that! I won't!"

Swallowing back his instinctive urge to give way to her, Zelos forced himself to stand his ground as he saw the desire she was fighting to just leave him where he stood and chase after Tasogare regardless of the consequences. "She doesn't want your help, and if you try to give it to her again, she's only going to hurt you. I know you want to help her, and I know that your heart is in the right place, but you _can't_ help someone who doesn't want it."

"But–"

Zelos knew she saw the logic in what he was saying, and though it hurt her to understand it, he pressed forward. Grasping her shoulders firmly but gently, he held her where she stood and repeated, "You can't help someone who doesn't want it, Colette. You just can't."

She felt something breaking as she accepted and denied what he was saying all at once, and unable to stand the feeling of her heart being torn apart, Colette closed her eyes as she tried to fight the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks. She was stung by the rejection, but worse was the feeling of hopelessness. She had to see those pain-filled eyes and know that no matter she did she would never be able to bring joy to them again, and the knowledge was like a knife to her heart.

She felt Zelos embracing her gently, letting her take what comfort she could from his strong chest, but it was little of a balm. It almost caused too much of a sting, knowing that she could be soothed and comforted against her pains, while Tasogare sat quietly, unflinchingly, in the cold. Biting on her lip so hard it began to bleed, Colette whispered against Zelos' shoulder as he smoothed her hair down with a single hand, "Why...? Why would she want to suffer alone like that...? Why would _anyone_ want to suffer like that?"

"I wish I could tell you the reason, angel. I really do." Zelos sighed into her hair, and he held her tight as he felt her trembling with suppressed sobs. Even as her tears wet his shoulder, she refused to let full cry to grief as if she was afraid to insult the woman who refused to show even an ounce of pain to anyone around her. Zelos growled inwardly, hating the brunette fiercely for causing Colette so much pain because of her empathetic nature, but the feeling was somewhat tempered by what he had just seen.

'She looked... almost human. For the first time... I saw what Colette was seeing the entire time in her. Real pain... and real emotion. It was easier to hate her when she was just a robotic bitch... but now... seeing her like that... it's going to be harder to condemn her for everything she's done. Even if it wasn't guilt for her actions... even if it's something we'll never really know... there is something... that haunts her.'

"_It was a torture designed specifically for you."_

As Zelos rubbed Colette's back in slow soothing circles, he scowled as he stared down the curving tunnel where Tasogare had retreated after her violent outburst. He found himself reflecting on what had finally snapped the brunette's hold on herself, and he mused sourly, 'Colette heard screaming... thousands of voices she didn't know, all screaming in pain and anger... Something that would have driven her crazy. She would have attributed it to all of the people she failed to save during the journey... and it would have bothered her much more than it would have anybody else. Nebilim knew what to show her to cause the most anxiety and pain... So, what did he show Tasogare? What dirty little secret is she carrying that still freaks her out to the point where she loses all semblance of dignity?'

He knew Lloyd had no idea of what secrets Tasogare may have held, because her jealousy of her past extended to every living being on the planet. Even Lloyd admitted to having been shocked when he'd found out Auin had been her brother, and he had only discovered this fact because of Hector's information. However, their leader had been able to shed some light on the hatred between the two siblings, if only because Auin was completely and utterly sadistic to the point of being psychotic.

Still, while he held the trembling Colette and tried to soothe her pain at her helplessness, he grit his teeth and growled inwardly, 'I know it hurts her... and I know I saw something she's been hiding from the outside world... but I can't feel too much for her. Not after everything she's done... and everything I know about her. I love Colette for being able to see the person Tasogare may have been before being a soldier... but what that angel is now... That's what we're all seeing and dealing with on a day to day basis... and I can't imagine there's much humanity left to her...'

'Not if her first reaction to a kind hand waking her from a nightmare is to try and stab for the heart of that person.'

**AN:**

**Still waters run deep. Not too sure where the quote originated, and I'll probably find out right after I finish writing this author's note and manage to get online, but still... I find it to be eerily true, and I love keeping it in the back of my mind when I am musing on Tasogare. **

**I always imagined not being able to help somebody, in any situation, would probably be the one thing to really hurt Colette the most. She's... just so fragile that way. Now, I believe she's a shockingly strong character for everything she's gone through, and she's scarily empathetic and compassionate... but I've found that the easiest way to break someone who's like that... is to have them realize that there are people in the world that they simply cannot help, regardless of what they do and their best intentions. Due to Tasogare never going to melt as a character (Sorry to anyone who thinks that!), it's a horrible truth I'm shoving onto my favourite blond angel. Still, I find it to be an important thing she needs to face, though I just know it's only going to make her more stubborn to help everybody she ever meets... XD God, I am terrible. **

**Cynics have no business writing about idealists. I have come to this conclusion, but I just can't stop. -uncontrollable laughter- Lloyd would punch me if he ever met me. Actually, most of the cast would punch me if they ever met me. Colette would probably hug me, but that'd be the only affection I'd ever expect. I'm such a bitch to the people I'm supposed to love. **

**And if you think I'm mean to characters in fanfiction, you should see what I do to my characters in my novels! -shudders- God, I'd be dead if I ever met them... I'd be so dead. -shakes head-**

**Anyway, back to gaming. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance is my new love... and I've already beaten it within the first five days of owning it. I'm of course replaying it and enjoying all my extra bonuses... and I'm going to unlock that secret ending, and I don't care what punishment I must accept to do so! -wanders off-**

**Mood: Pained**

**Listening To: "Losing My Religion" - REM**

**~ Sky**


	34. A Woken Nightmare

**Inner Niflheim**  
**Strata Two**  
**Floor Fifteen**

Blood trickled in a steady stream down from the corner of his mouth, but Lloyd didn't dare waver in his grip as he held his swords up and above him to keep the Living Armour's massive blade from falling down in the finishing blow. The hallow armour seemed to be expending no effort as it pushed down on Lloyd's crossed blades, inching the great battle sword closer and closer to the already straining swordsman.

Grimacing with the effort it was taking to keep the giant armour's sword at bay, Lloyd felt his entire body straining and crying out in protest. He was like an insect underneath the force of the demon before him, and it took all of his strength and willpower to keep the giant sword that the armour held with a single hand from slicing down and cutting him in half. He had no time for pride, no time for thoughts of indignance, there was only his battle to keep that blade from finishing its strike.

The pressure abated ever so slightly above him, and with all of his faculties directed in blocking that overhead swing, Lloyd became unbalanced. His single step forward was stillborn as the fist of the armour met him head-on, and his feet left the ground as he went flying backwards into the wall of the coliseum that had been created for the battle.

Lloyd hit the cold ebony wall hard, and his ribs broke like twigs inside of his chest at the impact. His hands loosened on his swords as the pain shrieked through him, and despite his best efforts to land on his feet as he went sliding down the wall, he hit the ground like a rag doll, face-down.

He could hear laughter through the ringing in his ears, as he could taste fresh blood on his tongue and feel it flowing from a new cut in the side of his head. Every inch of him felt weighed down, making it impossible to rise or even move. Yet his eyes still reacted to his commands, and feeling the agony of his sound defeat, Lloyd glanced around the circular battlefield that was soon to become his tomb.

The bodies of his friends littered the ground all around him, broken and bloody in the pictures of defeat that had shattered their last breaths. The Living Armour had shown no mercy, no hesitation in its giant swordstrokes. Raine had been its first victim. She had been stabbed right through the stomach, and for a horrifying second, she had simply been held aloft on the sword like a macabre trophy of war on a spear. Then the armour had shook her free of the sword with a single twitch of its giant hand, sending her corpse flying into the wall where she had fallen to the ground, limbs twisted in insane angles as blood continued to pour from the gaping hole in her body.

Regal had gone next, as he'd stood in mute disbelief, staring at the place where his wife had fallen. The duke hadn't even raised his eyes to see death coming for him in a broad stroke that cleaved his body in two. With a sickening thump, Regal's chest fell away from his waist to the ground, before the knees robotically gave way in a similar collapse.

Genis had followed his brother-in-law and sister admirably, roaring with agony and rage as he'd dashed forward with his kendama raised. Still, he was merely an ant fighting at a rockslide, and without doing him the honour of dying on its sword, the armour had reared its foot back and kicked him directly in the stomach. Lifted bodily from the ground with blood spraying from his mouth and nostrils, the young mage died mid-scream as his spine snapped clean in two and was driven cruelly up into his brain before he landed in a pitiful heap not too far from where his sister had been thrown.

Then it had been Presea, who had managed to strike a single blow before she too joined her comrades in death. She had gone quickly despite her ferocity, as with a single slash of its giant sword, the armour had simply sheared her head from her shoulders as she buried her great axe in the ankle of the foot that had killed the mage before her. Her body it had kicked away, and though Lloyd wasn't sure if it had been intentional, it had knocked Sheena to the ground as it collided with the shell-shocked ninja.

Sheena hadn't even been able to rise from the ground, and she had been sobbing with grief and disgust as she shoved the body of the axeman off of her. She had only had time to cry out and raise her hand in a pitiful attempt to defend herself before the armour's sword had found her left shoulder and carried on through to her waistline. She'd died calling for help, blood staining her lips that would never close as her tawny eyes stared on, seeing nothing more as death dulled them over forever.

Now Lloyd lay prone on the ground, gazing around him at the bodies of his friends who he had not been able to save as the armour advanced upon him. Its chuckles were growing louder now, though he still could only hear it through a strange veil. He mused with an odd detachment that his eardrums must have burst upon impact, now deafening him before he would die like everyone else.

It took more effort than holding his swords to block the blow, but somehow Lloyd managed to lift his chin to settle his eyes on the armour that now stood just a foot away from his face. Its sword was once again held aloft, and it glittered crimson with the blood of his comrades as it hovered almost anxiously above him. The demon had paused in anticipation, savouring the moment before its kill, and though Lloyd wanted to hate this creature that had so abruptly ended everything that he had once known and loved... He could feel nothing but emptiness.

It was to be his end, and he would die on his stomach, gazing up helplessly as the sword fell onto him. His mouth was full of blood and his eyesight was beginning to dim, but he struggled to remain conscious. Though he felt no shame, part of him protested dying with his eyes closed. He would see his killer and see his death. He couldn't lift his sword to die fighting, but he wouldn't face his end as a coward, shrinking away from the blow and hiding his face.

The armour held his sword with perfect balance above Lloyd's head, and from the depths of its empty chest came its echoing voice. Derision and sadistic amusement gave colour to the hallow tone, and every word reverberated in echo as the demon chuckled, "This was no battle. I am disappointed. To think you would die so easily, like insects under my boot... It is almost a waste. Still... I will savour killing you, mortal. You, who dared to challenge the masters of the Underworld."

The sword came down, and for a brief moment, Lloyd felt his breath catch in his tightened chest as he thought of what would await him once death claimed him. He tried to picture Sheena's face, the faces of his fathers, Dirk and Kratos, of his friends... but he couldn't see them in the void. No one came to him in the instant of silent prayer, and Lloyd found himself empty and alone as he awaited the cold steel that would kill him in a single and crushing blow.

_"Call the name."_

The voice exploded out of the shadows, and Lloyd's eyes shot open in shocked recognition as time came to a sudden halt. He remained in the void, alone and in darkness, yet there was a difference. The pain in his body had disappeared and his wounds were healed. He was floating in shadows, feeling weightless as he tried to orient himself without success. His hands again clenched on the hilts of Flamberge and the Vorpal sword, though their heat and ice no longer touched his skin.

Blinking rapidly in confusion, Lloyd moved his head from left to right, trying to find the place where the voice had spoken from. He didn't have to look however, as it spoke again, but this time it whispered directly into his head, originating from somewhere deep within his chest. "Call the name and receive the blessing owed to you. Break the chains binding your mind, and awaken from this dream. Your friends need you."

It gave him warmth in the cold, and each word brought back his senses from the brink of deprivation in the void where he drifted without thought. There was urgency now in the feminine whisper he recognized now, and when it spoke again it had become a strong cry that set his blood aflame and made his heart race with renewed purpose.

_"Now! Do it now, Lloyd Irving! Call the name!"_

Closing his eyes as he brought his swords together, Lloyd felt the power of his bond with Origin surging through his blood. His hands were brought closer together as Flamberge and the Vorpal Sword melted into a single heavy blade, and he locked his fingers around the massive hilt of the Eternal Sword. He breathed deeply, calling forth every iota of strength he had denied himself out of fear and worry of temptation. His voice rang out without echo, without reverberation in the silence surrounding him as he obeyed the call of the guardian who had come to his aid when he'd needed it most.

"Yggdrasil."

The shadows were banished instantly as light flooded from the Eternal Sword he now swung aloft, and the spell chaining his mind into the nightmare receded. As his eyes opened he spotted the Living Armour staggered backwards and outside of the circle inscribed with crimson runes upon which it had been standing. An eerie mouthless roar of disbelief and rage rang from its headless neck, and the sword that it had stabbed into the ground cracked in the middle before shattering completely.

Lloyd glanced around as his hands trembled with the force of his will to keep the Eternal Sword together, and the relief he felt at seeing his friends standing around him almost made him collapse to the ground. They stood in a loose crescent, having been fixed into motionlessness much as he had when the spell had been woven over them. Now that it had broken however, they all were coming back to reality, and they staggered to the ground as they came awake with the violence of being struck.

Confident in the knowledge that his friends were safe, and feeling the power of the Great Tree flowing through his veins along with his hold on the Eternal Sword, Lloyd stared hatefully at the Living Armour that stood before him. Though one of its swords had shattered another still remained within the sheath on its hip, and it drew the massive blade forth in angry challenge as Lloyd took three easy steps forward.

"You broke through the nightmare... and what's more, your power has suddenly multiplied. It seems I underestimated you." The Living Armour snarled with hatred, and it met Lloyd's three steps with one of its own. Its advance shook the ground, and the tremor succeeded in shaking off the last remains of the horror and grief that had weighed down the others who had also been dreaming. "I will not make that mistake again."

"Yeah." Lloyd agreed quietly, and he coiled his muscles as he held the Eternal Sword with both hands at his shoulder level. His adust eyes flared and sparked with pure mana as the strength of the Great Tree and its guardian flowed through him unchecked. His voice took on a new timbre, one laden with authority of one completely at home with the strength he possessed.

With a roar that would have sent the bravest of wild creatures scrambling for cover, Lloyd leapt from the ground and threw himself forward like a rocket. His hands were steady as he propelled himself through the air, and his aim was true as he stabbed the Eternal Sword in a single and fluid motion.

The great blade sank through the Living Armour's shell as if it was sheer as silk, and though it was too small to pierce through the other side, Lloyd knew that single thrust had done its work. For a moment he hung there, suspended by the Eternal Sword's blade that had punctured itself all the way to the hilt in the Living Armour's giant chest. Then he let gravity carry him back down to earth, and the sword split apart the front of the armour encasing the bodiless demon until he dropped easily back to his feet.

With a hellish scream the shadows encased in the empty suit escaped into the air through the chasm in the breastplate. Lloyd let the sword in his hand split back into the dual blades he carried as he watched with narrowed eyes. The crack grew, spider-webbing across the sides and down to the legs, and with a final growl, Lloyd sheathed his blades at his waist as the magic broke loose inside of the demon, "You won't make that same mistake again."

The armour shattered much as its sword before it had, and within it came the remainder of shadows that had brought it to life. They whipped at the swordsman who had broken its shell, but they were like wind to him, passing by harmlessly and barely even ruffling his hair. In the distance he saw the teleporter that the demon had been guarding come to life, and with a mixture of relief and extreme exhaustion, Lloyd let himself collapse to his knees. "God, damn..."

The world spun around him, and he only vaguely heard his friends crying out as they fully came back to reality and saw him collapsed amidst the rubble of their fallen foe. Sheena reached him first with the others right behind her, and he groaned in surprise as his body ached with the force of his sudden lack of mana. "Oww... Everything hurts..."

"Lloyd!" Sheena knelt at his side, reaching out to steady him with her bruised hands. He swayed perilously into her grip, causing her to stagger in surprise at his weight when he leaned against her. "Wh-Whoa! Hey, are you okay...?" Sheena cast a quick glance at him to check for wounds, and was baffled when she didn't see any. He just seemed exhausted and on the verge of fainting, making her murmur in confusion, "You're not bleeding... What happened?"

Though he was half unconscious with mana deprivation and sore all over from his victory, Lloyd felt a bolt of sharp certainty go through him at her hands on his shoulders. Before she could pull away to let Raine attend to him, Lloyd grabbed her by the wrists and drew her close in a fierce hug. She squeaked in protest, but Lloyd held on firm and muttered against her hair, "No... Don't go. Stay... I... I thought you were all..."

Sighing with realization and still unable to draw away from his surprisingly strong grip, Sheena surrendered to his hug. She murmured softly in explanation as her heart clenched with the memory of the nightmare that had kept her bound,"It was a dream, Lloyd... We're all okay. No one's hurt... No one's dead. We're all fine."

Raine laughed quietly as Sheena returned Lloyd's hug, and she knelt down next to the two when they parted to get a good look at the exhausted swordsman. She didn't see any new wounds dotting his body but he did look extremely tired. Sheena was struggling to keep him upright, but he was obviously halfway out of consciousness. Chuckling with wry amusement as she helped Sheena lay the dazed Lloyd down to rest, Raine explained to the very confused and worried ninja, "He'll be fine. It looks like he drained his mana with the use of the Eternal Sword. A good sleep and a meal when he wakes up will do him well."

"Look at him." Genis chuckled with a bemused shake of his head, and he squatted down to get a better look at the friend who had saved his life. The adust-haired boy had simply passed out while using a very embarrassed Sheena's lap as his pillow. He was smiling though in his sleep, as if he hadn't just spent all of his energy saving his friends from death. "Still grinning like a complete moron. I say we tie him up and leave him here. We'll get him after we make the pact."

"Now, that's not kind to say. He did just save our lives." Regal gently scolded the smirking mage, but his smile was warm as he looked upon the youth's smiling face. He seemed completely at ease for the first time since the duke had seen him since parting in Altamira, and he was abruptly glad. Lloyd had grown old much too fast, carrying around the pain no teenager should ever have had to know. "We can wait another few hours."

"Yes." Presea agreed with a little smile, and she dropped down to sit cross-legged as she watched Sheena absentmindedly smooth out Lloyd's tousled hair. The intimacy of the action was not lost on the axeman, and she tilted her head with some confusion at the tenderness she saw in the ninja's eyes. 'That's... love... isn't it...?'

As if Raine had read her mind, the professor playfully tapped Sheena with her staff as she teased, "There's something you haven't been telling us, isn't there? You and Lloyd have been very close since he returned to Iselia."

Flushing to the roots of her hair, Sheena had to struggle to stay completely still so Lloyd wouldn't be jostled as he continued to sleep on undisturbed on her legs. Finally she just shook her head as she mumbled in awkwardness, "You already know, so what's the point in repeating the facts?"

Genis snickered, and he shook his own head as he pointed almost mockingly at the drowsing teenager in front of him, "You're going to have to hit him with a sledgehammer a few times before he gets it, you do know that, right? For a somewhat smart guy, he's still incredibly dense. Hope you're patient."

The assent went around the group with kind laughter, and Sheena smiled as she took a moment to glance down at the sleeping adust-haired teenager. He was still smiling that ridiculous boyish grin that she hadn't seen in a long time, and her chest ached just from seeing it spreading across his cheeks. Too much pain had lined his face and darkened his eyes, but now he was completely unguarded in his exhaustion.

Her hand moved of its own accord to smooth out the last bit of his bangs she had missed, and without even thinking about the fact that everyone was around her and could perfectly hear her, she murmured, "I waited two years, already... I think I could wait awhile more... It won't bother me too much."

* * *

**Outer Rim of the Underworld**  
**Entrance to The Passage**

Zelos had been surprised by how far the angel had taken herself in her anger, but he didn't let the emotion show on his face as he stood at the entrance to the tunnels. He had waited patiently for Colette to fall asleep back in the passage before getting to his feet and tracking down the brunette himself. While a small part of him warned that it was foolish to do what he'd dissuaded Colette from doing, he didn't really mind it. The image of Colette's tear-filled eyes and the sound of her pained sobs as she realized how powerless she was haunted him, and spurred him forward.

Tasogare was sitting down with her back against the wall, her golden eyes firmly fixed on him as if she had been expecting him. However her expression proved otherwise with a mix of annoyance and anger. Her left hand was beating a tattoo on her knee, and Zelos realized she was trying not to touch her sword in her fraying temper. Far on her left was one of the two torches she had stored in her own pack, and it burned away merrily to light the otherwise pitch-dark cavern.

A little voice warned him not to push the brunette too hard lest she snap again, and mindful of the blade but still focussed on the reason why he'd come, Zelos crossed his arms over his chest and resisted the urge to finger his Last Fencer. The brunette angel had a terrible ability to bring out the worst in people, and the Tethe'allan Chosen admitted that she was especially good at doing it to him. He never had thought of himself as a person to be brought to hate all that easily, but he knew without a doubt that the emotion he had for Tasogare was pretty close.

"I'm glad... I made it... I don't think I... could've lived in a world without you... big brother..."

As icy blue stared into thick honey, Tasogare didn't move from her seated position and spoke in a sharp voice, "Whatever it is you expect to learn by coming after me... You won't get it. I advise you turn back the way you came and leave me be, Wilder. I'm in no mood to entertain you."

"Well, that doesn't matter, cause I don't give a damn what kind of mood you're in." Zelos answered with an impassive shrug, but the gesture belied the look of controlled anger on his face. Tasogare's body stiffened a little at his challenge, and he took satisfaction in knowing that he could get under her skin now the same way she did to him. "I know what Colette was doing was useless, because what you're looking for doesn't involve any kindness on anybody's part... but that doesn't mean I'm about to let you walk all over her either."

"Really?" Tasogare raised both eyebrows, and she pushed herself to her feet but slouched against the wall in a posture that spoke of her complete and total lack of empathy. She shook her head, her voice heavily laden with sarcasm as she asked, "So you decided to chase me down simply because I injured Brunel's feelings?"

Zelos crossed the circular room in five quick strides, and as Tasogare reached into her vest to find her dagger the redhead was there and had both of his hands on the front of her vest. With a rough shove, he threw the angel hard against the wall and pinned her there, snarling into her face as he felt her hand immediately bring the dagger she'd found to his throat, "Don't you dare belittle her. The only reason why I haven't tried to kill you yet is because, for whatever goddamn reason, she thinks you can still be saved from yourself. I don't buy it for a second, even though I've seen that you've still got something resembling a heart in you if Nebilim can screw with you like he so obviously has. I don't care about your motives. I don't care about whatever sob story you're hiding either. What I do care about is that you almost killed my sister, and you've been going out of your way to hurt Colette."

Tasogare's eyes flashed, and without her order, the dagger in her hand pressed a little harder into his throat to draw blood. His fists became tighter on the front of her shirt, but she didn't really care as she laughed back coldly, "Be assured Wilder, I have no interest in injuring Brunel purposefully. Whatever harm she's come to, she's brought it upon herself. I gave her due warning to leave me be, and if her fragile feelings can't stand my refusal, than perhaps it was time she hardened her heart."

"Compassion must be an alien notion to you." Zelos shook his head in disgust and forcibly dropped his hold on her, feeling sickened by touching someone who simply didn't seem to understand empathy. He wiped away the blood trickling down from his neck, and then growled, "I'll say it again... I'm ready to kill you at any damn time. We've got into Yggdrasil's fortress once before, and I'm sure we can do it again without you. I don't care about whatever deal you made with Lloyd. I'll break it. I don't trust you, and I know you have no intention of doing anything that doesn't help yourself. If you screw with Colette's head again, all warnings be damned, I will cut your head right off of your shoulders."

Shaking her head as she straightened her clothes with one hand while she held her dagger at the ready with the other, Tasogare commented with harsh amusement, "It's unwise to show your enemy where your heart rests. If you really want to threaten me, you shouldn't allow me to see how easily I can cripple you first."

Zelos laughed at her threat, and the sound was full and amused instead of cold and bitter. He shook his head this time, remarking with a chuckle, "If you think you can take out Colette and get to me that way, you're free to try. I'm sure she'd kick your ass. And if you think that my loving her is a weakness, then you've just proven how little you really know about us. It's what we do. We love each other, and that makes us strong. There's nothing we won't do for our friends, and that's why we won't ever lose to you, your brother, or Yggdrasil. You may want to study up before you start making those threats again. And you may want to remember that if you make those threats again... There's eight of us here... and no one's about to take your shit if we don't feel like it."

"Then perhaps you may want to remember why I am here, Wilder." Tasogare showed no anger or annoyance at his truthful words, but rather there was a sinister confidence that made him itch to throw her back against the wall again. She tucked her dagger back inside of her vest and crossed her arms over her stomach as she spoke calmly, "Bluster as much as you want... but without me, there is no chance for you to find Yggdrasil while he's weak enough to be destroyed completely without the certainty of being killed in the process."

"Well, once Yggdrasil is taken out, you really better be watching your back." Zelos answered with the same confidence that she always seemed to have when discussing the possibilities that weren't yet facts. He was tired of her, and even more tired of her complete lack of empathy. Lloyd had told them of his questioning her of the world's demise, which would come about if Yggdrasil's plans ever did succeed, and Tasogare's perfect clarity when she'd told him she didn't care. No one had been sure whether or not to believe it, but Zelos knew without a doubt that the brunette angel was that selfish. The world could burn, and as long as she had what she wanted, she would simply sit back and watch. "I'm coming after you first."

"This will be the third time I've told you, but someone else already has staked a claim on my life."

"As if you're really going to let Lloyd have at you." Zelos laughed outright at the line he had believed back in the Temple of Lightning, but with the knowledge of the pact Lloyd and Tasogare had made, Zelos was certain it was built on a lie. His eyes burned coldly as he growled, "I don't know who you're trying to fool with that bullshit, but you won't get me. You're never going to let him kill you. You'll just snatch it away from him, like you've been doing to him this entire time. I don't know if you get some sick sort of pleasure from fucking around with us, but as soon as we don't need you, I will kill you. You won't run off to become the next big enemy we have to face whatever time down the road. And I don't care who I piss off doing it, either. So when that day comes... I hope you draw your demonic sword of yours and face me like a real warrior would, so you can die with some dignity."

He hoped for some smart comeback so he could continue to rail at her, but Tasogare was an expert at verbal jousting and simply remained silent. She knew it would anger him and she knew he wouldn't bother to continue to yell at someone who wouldn't answer. Shaking his head in frustration, Zelos forced his left hand from the hilt of his Last Fencer so he wouldn't be tempted to draw it.

Zelos turned back to the tunnels, and then pocketed his hands to keep the impulse of drawing his swords as far away as he could manage. He could feel her gaze on his spine, right between his shoulder-blades, and it felt like a sliver of ice being poked deep into him. She was challenging him, he knew it, but he refused to be sucked into her game. He wasn't her entertainment. 'I had a message to deliver, and I gave it... and that's all. She's beneath me. She's beneath everybody.'

He started walking down the path, feeling that gaze training on him, and as he made to slip into the darkness he heard her call, quiet and thoughtful, "I wonder... If you had completed the rituals, what is it Nebilim would have showed you?"

The question went over him like ice water, and for a split instant he was drowning in images that had haunted his sleep ever since he was a child and well into his present life. He could see his mother dying, with a serene smile that didn't match the hatred in her eyes. He could see Seles slipping away in his arms, gasping for air and trying to smile at him through the pain and tears. He could see Colette crying as she tried to beg the voices screaming inside of her brain to stop and give her an instant of peace, and Zelos smiled wryly as he mused that Nebilim didn't need to show him anything to torture him.

He continued to walk, hands shoved firmly in his pockets and goosebumps rising on his arms as he called back over his shoulder, "I guess we'll never know. Small miracles and all that." His tone was blase, but his expression was pinched as he let the darkness of the tunnel swallow him. He knew waiting ahead would be the gentle light of the tiny fire he had pitched before leaving, and despite all assurances that it'd still be there once he arrived, Zelos felt himself picking up his pace.

He could imagine well how Colette would react if she woke and found him gone, and he refused to put her in that state of panic if he could help it. Despite all of her strong words and brave face, she hated this place with every fibre of her being. Her free nature rebelled against the underground.

The darkness swallowed him whole, leaving him to use his hand on the wall to help his dictate where and when the passageway would dip or turn. Thankfully it didn't take him as long as he'd worried to return to the little stretch of the cave where they had set up their camp, and the warm light of the fire greeted him like an old friend.

Zelos found her exactly where he had left her, curled up against the wall with his jacket being used as a blanket. She'd pillowed her head on her arms, refusing to use his pack when he'd offered it to her. He stood where he was for a moment, simply watching her sleep with a serene smile of one having a pleasant dream. A sigh of relief escaped him when he didn't know he'd been holding in his breath, and as quietly as he could manage so he didn't wake her, Zelos slid down into a sitting position beside her.

Colette never stirred, proving she had needed the rest more than she was letting on. With an indulgent smile, Zelos reached forward to gently smooth back her hair from her face. Her smile widened a little bit, and she mumbled as she moved a little, but otherwise she remained completely asleep. Stroking her hair rhythmically as he edged himself just a little bit closer, Zelos spoke quietly, "If I can help it... You're never getting hurt again. I'm tired of being unable to protect the people I care about... Okay? Consider it a promise, angel."

He wasn't sure if she did hear him or not, but her smile softened and her head lightly touched his knee as she curled herself into a tighter ball. Laughing lightly at her ability to soothe his stress even when unconscious, Zelos leaned down to brush his mouth lovingly along her cheek as he whispered, "I love you. Sleep a bit longer... I'll watch over you. I promise."

* * *

**Inner Niflheim**  
**Strata Three**  
**The Gates of Nebilim**

The teleporter had taken them into the deepest reaches of Niflheim and deposited the group in front of what appeared to be vast ebony gates of immeasurable height and width. The doors attached to the giant carved columns were spread wide in invitation, but no one took a step forward as the cold breeze that had been echoing through the dungeon blew through the doors to wash over them. Beyond the gates appeared to be nothing, as if the doors simply opened up into an empty space, and the gates themselves remained attached to nothing as well. When they tried to look further inside, there was only darkness waiting for them, giving no hint to what lay further in.

Raine shivered unconsciously as the cold threatened to seep into her very bones, and a quick glance around at her companions proved they all felt Nebilim's malice too. The Summon Spirit had done well in showing them exactly why he was known as the evil king of the underworld. Wrapping an arm protectively around herself, the half-elf narrowed her eyes as she spoke to the determined friends around her, "It's time we finish this. I'm sick of being underground."

"You got that right." Lloyd growled in agreement, and he placed a hand on the hilt of Flamberge as he readied himself for the battle ahead. No Summon Spirit had been content to simply had them a pact, and if Nebilim refused to help them of his own will, they would prove their worth to him regardless. They hadn't gone so far and suffered so much just to be turned away. "Let's go."

Walking in a loose but weary formation, the group marched through the large doors with a hand ready on their weapons in case enemies tried to surprise them. As they stepped through the shadows between the open doors, they found the gates opened into a surprisingly ornate hallway with another set of doors standing in wait at the end. These doors however were white, contrasting the harsh ebony had that made up Niflheim.

All around them stood relics and ornaments that would be found in any other castle, and under their feet was a long simply black carpet that guided them straight to the white doors ahead. Paths split off from the hall, giving glimpses of plush rooms and sprawling decor that coated the magnificent castle, but the atmosphere belied the evil that surrounded every single thing inside of its walls.

Genis' eyes were wide with wonder as he tried to take everything in at once, but with the ceiling reaching up and out of his sight and the single hallway alone spanning more than the coliseum of Meltokio, it was impossible. Every relic he spotted seemed to be calling out for him to touch it, but he kept his hands firmly laced on his belt as he sensed the malignancy in them. His voice came out somewhat choked as he whispered his thoughts aloud, "Everything in here is cursed... Touched by death..."

"These are other relics Nebilim has been collecting ever since his imprisonment." Presea explained mechanically, and though her voice was devoid of emotion her hand was twitching as it touched the handle of her Gaia Cleaver. Her eyes seemed restless though she was gazing steadfastly at the giant white doors ahead, "He has been hoping to amass enough power to force the book to release him. However, these were insufficient, which is why he turned to the Devil's Arms."

"For someone trapped in a book, he seems to be doing pretty well." Sheena muttered with a shake of her head as she gazed about at the splendour of the castle the gates had opened into. The massive walls sprawled out of sight and were inscribed with many strange-looking runes Sheena couldn't even guess at. Everywhere she looked was something new and dark and grim, and she couldn't help but laugh inwardly, 'Tasogare would probably appreciate his taste. This whole place just screams 'evil'...'

As they came closer to the closed doorway, two giant skeleton warriors simply walked out of the shadows on either side of the gate. When the group reached for their weapons they were simply ignored, and each warrior simply turned to grab a hold of one of the silver holds to open the door. Their armour and bones clanked together as the skeletons pulled as one to open their respective doors wide for the party.

The doors opened soundlessly, whispering across the flat carpet to open as wide as they were allowed on their hinges. A sharp inhale went around the group as they gazed into the throne room the open doors revealed and saw their target sitting up on an immensely raised dias that seemed to be guilt of silver and marble.

The carpet under their feet seemed to shift into actual darkness the closer it got to the dias, and as it snaked along the massive set of stairs it began to lose its consistency until it simply vanished into shadow underneath Nebilim's throne. Perched on the highest point of the dias was a massive throne of red velvet and black steel, and seated on it was what looked to be a cloak formed in the shape of a person.

The cloak, like the carpet beneath the throne, shifted and moved like flowing water, yet it remained completely solid. There were no seams to be seen in the ebony fabric, and the raised hood showed no face but instead a screen of more shadow. No limbs could be seen protruding from either the sleeves or the bottom of the cloak that swept along the floor, and when it stood it barely seemed to really move.

The voice that rang out from the place where a mouth should have been was full of laughter, but the sound was as cold as ice. The cloak shifted again in an unseen wind, and then shifted as if being folded as the human-shaped being raised its right arm and pointed without a hand at the assembled group. When it spoke, the sound seemed clear and concise as if spoken from a pair of lips though there was no body to be seen, "My thanks are in order, Heroes of Regeneration... You have saved me the boredom of quashing yet another uprising. You provided me with quite an entertaining show with the Living Armour and Hell Knight. Obedient guards of the realm are scarce in a world such as mine."

"Nebilim." Presea spoke without even thinking, and the name of the Summon Spirit came as a weakened gasp as if she had been punched in the stomach. When the malignant being had spoken, she had felt her mind snap back to the possession the Summon Spirit had made of her body and unbidden, began trembling. Her feelings of fear, hatred and agony spiralled uncontrollably inside of her chest now that she faced the being responsible for nearly ending her life so soon after she had just had it returned to her.

The head of the cloak turned slightly, again acting as if a true body lay underneath the ebony fabric and fixed nonexistent eyes on the axeman who had spoken. The arm lowered to the side, and then that chuckle of cracking ice and melting steel rang out in the empty throne room again. "Ah... My sweet Presea Combatir. I am overjoyed to see you again. It was a bitter kindness you gave me in the Temple of Darkness, allowing me to see the outside world again through your eyes. I have relived that memory many a time since my return here."

Genis' eyes snapped fire as Presea seemed to wilt underneath the cruel laughter, and he stepped forward with an arm outstretched protectively in front of the trembling hunter. His voice rang out like thunder at the Summon Spirit standing so high above them, "Cut the crap! You know why we're here, so leave her alone!"

"Genis Sage..." Nebilim seemed to savour the way the name rolled as he spoke it, and unbidden Genis felt a shiver go down his spine as he felt the eyeless gaze of the Summon Spirit suddenly turn on him. Though the cloak never moved to descend towards them, Genis felt his presence all around and within him as the Spirit focussed on him. "Ah, yes, the half-elven mage... And your sister is here too..."

Raine took an impulsive step backward as the Summon Spirit now turned his gaze on her, and her arms instinctively curled around herself in a protective embrace. Yet as much as she felt the sharp bolt of fear, there was also an instant response of rebellion, and she raised her chin and met the stare that had no physical being. Her voice rang out strong and clear, refusing to be rebuked by the Spirit so intent of striking fear, "Yes, his sister is here too."

"Such fire... Such life I sense in you. Young and powerful. It suits you well, half-elf." The hood nodded almost as if in praise, and Raine felt a chill go through her at the compliment. The voice, smooth and silken like a serpent unnerved her despite her best efforts to be swayed, and she was relieved despite herself when Nebilim released her from his gaze. She felt Regal stiffen at her side as Nebilim now turned the force of his will on her husband, and she reached for his hand unconsciously as the Spirit spoke again, "And you... the husband, yes? A fine provider of life, you are... I sense it strong within you. An all-encompassing flame..."

Lloyd felt his skin grow cool as Nebilim transferred his stare from Regal to him, and impulsively he reached forward to place his hands on the hilts of his swords. He took strength from the cold and heat that radiated through his palms, and he stood tall and firm as Nebilim whispered in a cool hiss, "And Lloyd Irving. The new bearer of the Eternal Sword, I see. So it has passed to a new master... The strength you bear is similar to his... Yet the spell binding me to this book persists... and I have not had the pleasure of seeing the whelp responsible for sealing me here... Which now leads me to..."

The head then turned towards Sheena, who inhaled sharply as the weight of the Summon Spirit's mana slammed down on her unprepared shoulders. Her knees locked in rebellion, and she felt Corrine's bell resting in the hallow of her throat abruptly grow warm in response. Her eyes narrowed as Nebilim spoke coolly to her, "The summoner... You seek a pact. You will find I have nothing to offer you. I am one who was bound to Mithos Yggdrasil... and I have no desire to make a new pact."

"You'll find we don't really care what you desire. We came here to make a pact with you, and we will have it." Sheena snapped back, and there was no sign of weakness or apprehension in her now. The others had joined her in glaring up at the robed being that was their only solution to finally ending the chaos Mithos Yggdrasil had created, and they all refused to walk away empty-handed. Sheena slid her hands into her sleeves, and in between her fingers came the Divine Judgement cards she could now handle like parts of her own body. "Even if we have to beat you down off of that pedestal of yours."

"As... amusing as that would be... You forget who rules this realm." Nebilim's voice had dropped in temperature by about fifty degrees, sending a fresh chill over the assembled group who had all lifted their weapons and assumed a battle-ready stance. The Summon Spirit sat down once more on top of the throne. A handless arm lifted and supported the headless filled hood, and he spoke with quiet certainty, "You can fight, as every being does, but in the end... Death will always find you. The time and fashion are inconsequential... for without fail... I will claim victory."

"Mithos seems to be escaping you without much effort." Lloyd snapped back in reply, and the moment he finished speaking he felt a sharp pain enter his heart like a sliver of ice had simply stabbed him in the chest. As he looked up he could sense Nebilim's gaze on him, and through grit teeth he growled, "We know you want to be free, and we know you want Mithos. We can give him to you. It's why we're here." The pain in his chest abated, and Lloyd, knowing he had caught Nebilim's interest, plowed on recklessly now, "Make a pact with us and we'll free you. Then when we defeat Mithos again... You can finally end him."

The hood tilted a little bit further to the left, and reminded the swordsman eerily of a cat examining the mouse it was about to kill after finishing its torture. A full minute of complete silence stretched between the group and the Summon Spirit, and was broken by a haunting chuckle that echoed in the circular room. "I see. So you appeal to my longing for revenge... for freedom. A wise choice. You have caught my interest. Very well, you will have what you seek... Only after you prove yourselves."

"Well, that's not much of a surprise." Sheena remarked with a shake of her head, and she stiffened her body as she called up to the still-seated Summon Spirit, "Come on down then, and we'll show you we're worthy to make a pact with you!"

"You misunderstand, summoner. My test of worth is not like that of my kin." Nebilim's chuckle was smooth and silken, and he did not rise from his throne. Instead he straightened, and his sleeves rose together in a shadowy image of someone intertwining their fingers underneath their chin. "I require one of you, and one only to test yourselves against me. And on my oath, regardless of the outcome of the battle, you will have the pact you seek of me."

"Just one of us?" Raine repeated in surprise, and instantly she felt her hackles rising as a sense of foreboding stole over her. She saw the understanding crashing down on her comrades, and as she opened her lips to call out her denial, Nebilim rose again on his throne.

The gesture was surprisingly effective, and as the Summon Spirit stood amongst the shocked and angry silence of the assembled heros, he raised a hand and pointed with a handless arm towards his victim of choice. Though he had no eyes, the shadow filling his hood seemed to grow darker and swirled faster as he called out the name they all had spinning in their minds and heavying their hearts.

"Presea Combatir."

**AN:**

**What a place to leave it, eh? -ducks incoming missiles-**

**Sorry, sorry. This was always coming though. It's not very nice of me to do, but... I've always wanted to do it. What can I say, I'm a sadist. -hits the floor again with a nervous laugh-**

**This chapter was a bitch to write. It just didn't seem to want to come out right, and I'm worried the quality will be lacking. Still, I finally managed to find a suitable ending, so I can't rewrite it again. (This finished product is actually the third rewrite of many a section... -cries-) And so much happened finally, lol. Lloyd got to use the Eternal Sword in battle finally (I've always wanted to write it!), Zelos called Tasogare out on her shit, Nebilim finally made his appearance... I've got ze goosebumps! It was so fun!**

**Now, I got questioned if this is ending the Answer Arc, and the answer is yes. The Resolution Arc will begin in the next two to three chapters, possibly sooner, and that will signal the winding up of the story's finale. I still can't believe I'm actually saying that, lol, but I am! I'm breaking the 300 page mark in the next two chapters, hopefully, so what will follow is another list of titles, and hints in what will happen in the Resolution Arc...**

**I can't believe I will be ending this story in the foreseeable future. It's been such a big part of my life that it seems weird to think about it ending. I had a brief moment of panic when I thought about it, like, "Oh my God, what am I going to do once it's over?!" I got it over it quickly, since I have another project in mind to begin once ANW is finished and I take a two-or-three-day holiday from computer use. (It'll probably be a one-day holiday. Not writing is like not breathing.)**

**Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm now going to play Lunar: Eternal Blue for a little bit, then go to bed... and possibly sleep for the next few days. Come Monday, I'm back to waking up at six am and heading off to school again. Yay new term. -sigh-**

**Mood: Exhausted**  
**Listening To: "Trust You" - Yuna Ito (Gundam 00 ED)**

**~ Sky**


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